This quick and easy-to-make Healthy Greek Pasta Salad is tossed in a light and delicious Greek salad dressing and packed with veggies. It’s a delicious combination of fusilli pasta, diced cucumber, grape tomatoes, yellow peppers, Kalamata olives, red onion, and tangy feta cheese! It’s a great summer side dish or light lunch and is also perfect for meal prep.
I love pasta salads packed with lots of fresh veggies and this Greek Pasta Salad is just that! Similar to my Italian Pasta Salad this is the perfect side dish for potlucks, picnics, and BBQs. It’s also great for meal prep as it tastes even better the next day and makes for a lovely, light lunch.
Unlike my tuna pasta salad, healthy macaroni salad, and creamy potato salad (which are all delish!), this pasta salad is made with a Greek Vinaigrette and no mayo! So it’s a light, bright salad that is also super versatile – feel free to swap in your favorite veggies, trade the pasta for gluten-free pasta or add more protein with some chopped grilled chicken or hard-boiled eggs.
Why you should make this recipe
- Incredibly delicious: This Greek pasta salad is the perfect combination of crunchy veggies, al dente pasta, creamy feta cheese, and a light, bright homemade Greek salad dressing. This one is a crowd-pleaser for sure!
- Quick & easy: This recipe is simple and takes very little hands-on time to put together. Chop your vegetables and make the dressing as you boil your pasta. Then, into the fridge for a couple of hours of chill time.
- Perfect for large gatherings: Everyone loves a good pasta salad and this recipe is no exception. This salad also serves a crowd making it great for hosting parties, potlucks, and other get-togethers.
Ingredients needed
This Greek pasta salad recipe is made with simple, nourishing ingredients that combine for a taste you’re going to love. Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Pasta: Use any short pasta you’d like. Great options are penne, bowtie pasta, or fusilli.
- Veggies: Crisp cucumber, bursts of juicy grape tomatoes, bell pepper, and red onion make this salad recipe pop with fresh, vibrant flavor.
- Olives: We’re using pitted Kalamata olives here, but feel free to swap them with sliced black olives or omit, if you’re not a fan.
- Cheese: For that classic Greek salad flavor. To make this salad vegan, simply omit it.
- For the dressing: A simple mix of garlic, dijon mustard, oregano, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper tops the salad for incredible flavor.
How to make this recipe
- Boil pasta: Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Rinse under cold water and transfer to a large bowl.
- Assemble salad: Add the cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, Kalamata olives, red onion and feta cheese.
- Make the dressing: Combine garlic, oregano, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and dijon mustard in a small jar. Slowly whisk in the extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. If using a mason jar, you can simply put the lid on and shake the jar until well combined.
- Add the dressing, chill and serve: Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss well. Chill for 2-3 hours before serving and enjoy!
Expert tips
- Salt the pasta water: Adding salt to the pasta water seasons the noodles and adds extra flavor to the dish. Learn more about how to properly salt your pasta water. We usually add 1 teaspoon salt to 4 cups of water.
- Cook pasta to al dente: Cooking the pasta too long can lead to a soggy pasta salad. The noodles soften as they soak in the dressing.
- Dressing: This salad is lightly dressed. If you’d like extra dressing, feel free to 1.5x the dressing.
- Make ahead: This is the perfect recipe to make in advance. Let all of the ingredients soak up the dressing for at least 2 hours or overnight in the fridge. It will be even tastier the next day!
Frequently asked questions
Rinsing the noodles will help them from continuing to cook and also prep them for this chilled salad. The Kitchn has a great article on when to rinse pasta and when to not.
This Greek pasta salad is great to make the night before serving! It needs to be served chilled any way and it can be helpful to have it already made, especially if you’re making for a party. This also gives the flavors time to intensify and really become tasty.
Pasta salad is great with a variety of main entrees and can even be served as a light meal itself. We love to serve this with burgers, grilled meats and sandwiches.
Variations
Pasta salads are super versatile and easy to customize with extra or different ingredients. Here’s some ideas:
- Gluten-free: Make this gluten free by using gluten-free pasta, like brown rice pasta.
- Veggies: Add even more veggies. Artichokes, mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes would new flavors and textures.
- Cheese: Try swapping the feta cheese with mini mozzarella balls, crumbled goat cheese, cheddar cheese cubes, diced pepper jack, or crumbled blue cheese.
- Protein: This salad is great with the addition of chopped grilled chicken or salmon.
- Make it spicy: For a little heat, mix in diced jalapeños, a pinch of cayenne pepper, or a couple of dashes of crushed red pepper flakes.
Storage recommendations
- Make ahead: This salad is great to make a day in advance of serving it because it gets tastier over time. You can also mix the vinaigrette together up to 2 days in advance, and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Storing leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days. Before serving again, give it a good stir, taste, and season again, as needed. This salad is best served chilled.
GREEK PASTA SALAD RECIPE VIDEO
While this recipe is easy to make it always helps to watch a quick video (and learn a few tips). Give it a watch below!
Greek Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces short pasta (penne, bowtie, fusilli, etc)
- 1 English cucumber diced
- 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
- 1 bell pepper diced (yellow or orange)
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives sliced
- 1/2 cup red onion diced
- 3 ounces feta cheese crumbled
Greek Salad Dressing
- 1 large clove of garlic crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Rinse under cold water and transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, Kalamata olives, red onion and feta cheese.
- Combine garlic, oregano, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and dijon mustard in a small jar. Slowly whisk in the extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. If using a mason jar, you can simply put the lid on and shake the jar until well combined.
- Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss well. Chill for 2-3 hours before serving and enjoy!
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