This Greek Pasta Salad is the side dish I reach for the second the weather turns warm. Tender pasta, crisp cucumber, sweet cherry tomatoes, briny olives, and salty feta all get tossed together in a simple olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing. There is no mayo and no cream in this recipe, just bright, Mediterranean flavor that actually gets better as it sits. From boiling the pasta to pulling it out of the fridge, you are looking at about 30 minutes of hands on time.
My husband’s favorite Greek flavors in pasta form
My husband Pierre is a little obsessed with Greek salads. He asks for them so often that I have made a habit of putting a new spin on the same flavors he loves, from my Greek Quinoa Salad to my Mediterranean Chopped Salad.
Pasta salad was the version I had not tried yet, and once I made it for him the first time, it became one of our favorites during the hot summer months.
I started making this years ago as a lighter alternative to the mayo based pasta salads. Once I swapped in an olive oil and vinegar dressing, I never looked back.
It travels well, it does not need to be kept ice cold the way a mayo salad does, and it actually tastes better the next day once the vegetables have had time to release a little of their juice into the dressing.
This is the salad I bring to potlucks, pack into Thomas’s lunch container on hot days, and set out next to my Grilled Chicken Thighs whenever we have people over. If I am planning a bigger Greek inspired dinner, I will also put out my Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes so there is a hot dish and a cold one on the table at the same time.
Key Ingredients:
All ingredients and their amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Pasta: I specifically recommend a small pasta shape here, like ditalini, farfalle, cavatelli, or small shells, instead of the rotini or penne most Greek pasta salad recipes call for. A smaller shape holds a lot more dressing in each bite without the salad turning heavy or gummy the way a bigger noodle can once it is cold. I’ve tested this with penne too. It is still good, but the dressing pools at the bottom of the bowl instead of clinging to every piece. If you love comparing pasta shapes in a cold salad, my Italian Pasta Salad Recipe uses a bigger shape and it is a fun side by side to make.
Pro Tip: Cook the pasta right up to al dente and rinse it under cold water immediately. Warm pasta keeps cooking on its own and turns soft once it sits in the dressing.
Fresh Vegetables: I use English cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and red or orange bell pepper here. English cucumber has thin skin and small seeds, so there is no peeling or scooping needed, just dice it small. I halve the cherry tomatoes instead of quartering them so they hold their shape and do not turn watery. For the bell pepper, either color works, I just grab whichever looks freshest, since both bring the same crunch and a mild sweetness that balances the salty olives and feta.
Black Olives: I use sliced pitted black olives in this recipe because they are mild and easy to find, and they do not overpower the other vegetables. I’ve made this a few times with Kalamata olives instead, and while they are more traditional for Greek flavors, they are also much saltier and briny, so I hold back a little on the salt in the dressing if I use them.
Feta Cheese: I always reach for a block of feta and crumble it myself rather than buying pre crumbled feta. Pre crumbled feta is coated in a powder to keep it from clumping, which makes it drier and less creamy. A block feta gives you bigger, softer crumbles that melt slightly into the warm pasta right before you add the dressing.
Red Onion: Diced red onion adds sharpness, but I know raw onion is not for everyone. If you want to take the edge off, soak the diced onion in a bowl of ice water for about 10 minutes, then drain it well before adding it to the salad. It keeps the crunch but softens the bite.
Homemade Dressing: I keep the dressing to four ingredients on purpose: red wine vinegar (or fresh lemon juice), extra-virgin olive oil, garlic powder, and dried oregano. I recommend whisking it and letting it sit for a few minutes before pouring it over the salad, since that short rest gives the garlic powder time to soften into the oil instead of staying gritty. I’ve tested this with fresh minced garlic too, and while the flavor is a little sharper, garlic powder actually distributes more evenly through a cold Greek salad.
How to Make Greek Pasta Salad:
Before you start, pull out a large pot for the pasta and a big mixing bowl for tossing everything together at the end.
Make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic powder, and dried oregano. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then set it aside. I like to make this first so the flavors have time to come together while I handle the rest of the recipe.
Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta in a large pot of well salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain it and rinse it under cold water right away to stop the cooking and cool it down completely. This step matters more than it looks. If you skip the rinse, the pasta keeps cooking from residual heat and turns soft once it is coated in dressing.
Prep the fresh veggies. While the pasta cooks, dice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the red bell pepper, and dice the red onion. Prepping everything while the water boils means the pasta and the vegetables are ready at almost the same time, so nothing sits around losing its crunch.
Combine everything. In a large bowl, add the cooled pasta, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red pepper, black olives, feta, and red onion. Pour the dressing over the top and toss everything together until it is well coated. I toss gently here so the feta stays in small chunks instead of breaking down into the dressing.
Chill and serve. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before serving. Chilling gives the pasta time to soak up the dressing so every bite is flavorful instead of just the top layer. Give it a good toss right before serving, garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and enjoy it cold.
Olivia’s Recipe Tips
Shake the colander well and let it sit for a few minutes. After rinsing, I give the colander a good shake and then just let the pasta sit in it for a few minutes so the extra water can drain off. Leftover water on the noodles waters down the dressing and leaves you with a puddle at the bottom of the bowl by the next day.
Taste it again after it comes out of the fridge. Cold temperatures dull flavor, so a salad that tasted perfectly seasoned when you made it can taste flat once it is chilled. I always taste mine right before serving and add a small pinch of salt or a splash more vinegar if it needs it.
Reserve a little extra dressing for the next day. The pasta keeps absorbing the dressing overnight in the fridge, so leftovers can taste a bit dry by day two. I keep two or three tablespoons of dressing on the side and stir it in right before serving leftovers.
Turn it into a full meal. This salad is a side dish as written, but I turn it into dinner by adding grilled shrimp or sliced grilled steak on top. My Beef Kabobs are what I reach for most often when I want to serve this as a main course instead of a side.
Greek Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 16 ounces pasta I suggest a small shape, such as ditalini, cavatelli, or small shells
- ¾ English cucumber diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 bell pepper red or orange diced
- ½ cup sliced pitted black olives
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Salad Dressing:
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic powder, and dried oregano. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and cool it down completely.
- Prep the vegetables: While the pasta cooks, dice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the bell pepper, and dice the red onion.
- Combine: In a large bowl, add the cooled pasta, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, black olives, feta, and red onion. Pour the dressing over top and toss everything together until well coated.
- Chill: Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Give the salad a good toss before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve cold.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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