Why I love this Greek pasta salad recipe
I have been totally obsessed with this Greek pasta salad lately.
It’s packed with all my favorite flavors—creamy feta cheese, briny olives, and fresh, crisp vegetables.
Add some tangy Greek dressing and you’ve got the perfect summer salad.
It’s honestly the kind of dish that feels light and refreshing but still totally satisfying.
Which is why this Mediterranean pasta salad has become my go-to recipe for summer get-togethers.
Plus, it’s super easy to make ahead.
So I can whip it up the day before a BBQ or potluck and just relax while it chills in the fridge.
Looking for more pasta salad recipes? You'll love Creamy Pasta Salad and Italian Pasta Salad.
Ingredients
Here is your shopping list (for 8 salads):
- Pasta – 16 ounces rotini or other small pasta.
- Fresh produce – 1 cucumber, half of a small red onion, 1 pint cherry tomatoes, 1 red bell pepper.
- Canned goods – ¼ cup diced black or kalamata olives, ¼ cup sliced black or kalamata olives.
- Dairy – 1 cup crumbled feta cheese. I like to buy pre-crumbled Feta cheese to save myself some time. But you can also buy a block and chop it.
- Condiments – Greek salad dressing
Substitutions & Additions
- You can add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes for some extra kick.
- If you don’t have Greek salad dressing, you can add ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice to ¾ cup Italian dressing instead.
- For extra protein, add 2 shredded, cooked chicken breasts to the salad.
How to make Greek pasta salad
1 | Prep work
Start by boiling 16 ounces of rotini pasta, following the package instructions.
Once cooked, drain the pasta and rinse it with cold water. Rinsing helps cool the pasta quickly and prevents it from sticking together, which is especially helpful if you’re making the salad ahead of time.
Let the pasta sit in the colander for a few minutes to drain completely.
Prepare all of the vegetables:
- Dice the cucumber into small, even pieces so they distribute nicely throughout the salad.
- Slice the red onion thinly.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half to make them easier to eat and distribute their juiciness evenly.
- For the red pepper, cut it in half and remove the seeds and the white ribs inside, which can be bitter. Then chop the pepper into small, uniform pieces to ensure every bite has a bit of crunch and sweetness.
- Dice enough olives to make about ¼ cup. Then slice another batch to make another ¼ cup. The diced olives distribute the flavor throughout the salad, while the sliced olives look nicer in the salad.
2 | Make the salad
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the prepared vegetables and feta cheese.
Pour enough Greek dressing over the salad to coat all of the ingredients.
Then toss gently with a large spoon or salad tongs to coat everything evenly. Be careful not to break the pasta while you’re doing this.
3 | Chill
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
If you have more time, you can leave it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours which I think actually makes it taste better since the dressing gets soaked up by the pasta.
Just give it a quick toss before serving to redistribute the dressing and ingredients.
If you leave the pasta salad in the refrigerator for a few hours, you may want to add a little more dressing just before serving to keep it from tasting dry.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If the dressing has absorbed into the pasta or vegetables, you can add a little extra dressing or a splash of olive oil to refresh it.
Greek Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces rotini pasta, boiled and drained
- 1 cucumber, diced
- Half of a small red onion, sliced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup diced black or kalamata olives
- ¼ cup sliced black or kalamata olives
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup Greek salad dressing
Equipment
- knife
- chopping board
- measuring cups
- large salad bowl
- large spoons or salad tongs
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add cooked pasta, diced cucumber, sliced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red bell pepper, diced and sliced kalamata olives and crumbled feta cheese.16 ounces rotini pasta,, 1 cucumber,, Half of a small red onion,, 1 pint cherry tomatoes,, 1 red bell pepper,, ¼ cup diced black or kalamata olives, ¼ cup sliced black or kalamata olives, 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Pour dressing into the bowl and gently toss to coat the pasta and veggies.1 cup Greek salad dressing
- Chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours) and serve.
Notes
- Add ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes for some extra kick.
- If you don’t have Greek salad dressing, add ¼ cup lemon juice to ¾ cup Italian salad dressing.
- For some extra protein, add 2 shredded, cooked chicken breasts.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
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