Name: Greek Pasta Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 21 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Greek inspired
Ingredients: 2 cups dry pasta; 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper; 1 cup sliced grape tomatoes; 1/2 cup sliced Kalamata olives; 1/4 cup diced red onion; 1/2 cup cucumbers, sliced into quarters; 1/2 cup feta cheese; 1 tablespoon fresh dill; 1/4 cup olive oil; 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1/2 teaspoon oregano; 2 cloves minced garlic; 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste); 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

This Greek Pasta Salad is full of crisp fresh veggies, perfectly cooked pasta, fresh herbs, creamy feta cheese and the most delicious Greek vinaigrette. It is the perfect light lunch or filling weeknight dinner side dish.

Delicious Greek Pasta Salad

A big bowl of fresh pasta salad screams spring and summer to me, anyone else? First of all pasta is delicious in it’s own right but when you add crisp veggies, a flavorful vinaigrette, and creamy cheese you take things to a whole new level.

This healthy greek pasta salad has everything you want in a fresh spring or summer side dish. It is packed with crunchy veggies, salty feta cheese, tangy olives, and a delicious and easy vinaigrette that pulls everything together just perfectly.

This easy recipe is made from simple ingredients that you may already have. You can easily customize it or make it gluten or dairy free if you need!

More Delicious Greek Inspired Recipes

Pasta Salad Ingredients

Pasta: Be sure to pick a pasta that has lots of nooks and crannies so the Greek vinaigrette is able to really stick to your pasta.

Cucumber: English cucumbers (also called “hot house” or “seedless”) work best for this recipe. This variety of cucumber has more tender skin, smaller seeds, and does not have a bitter taste which can be common in regular cucumber. If you cannot find an English cucumber, I recommend peeling and deseeding your cucumber before adding it to the salad.

Green Bell Pepper: Adds so much flavor and crunch.

Olives: Olives give the pasta salad that delicious salty tang. To keep things easy, use pitted olives and just slice them in half.

Tomatoes: Grape or cherry tomatoes work the best for this recipe.

Red Onion: If you don’t have red onion on hand, you can substitute green onion instead. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious. I wouldn’t recommend using white or yellow onion in this recipe as the flavor of those onions will overpower the rest of the salad.

Feta Cheese: If you need to keep this recipe dairy free, feel free to leave out the feta cheese or substitute with your favorite non-dairy alternative.

Fresh Dill: Just a sprinkle on top to finish off the salad and add even more flavor.

Ingredient Swaps and Frequently Asked Questions

Pasta – Need to make a gluten free version of this recipe? Swap traditional pasta for your favorite gluten free pasta brand.

Cheese – Want to keep this recipe dairy free? Leave out the feta altogether or swap it for a dairy free version.

Veggies – Feel free to get creative and add more veggies to this pasta salad! This recipe is so easy to customize to fit your needs.

The Perfect Greek Vinaigrette

A simple Greek vinaigrette pulls all of the ingredients together into a delicious and flavorful salad. The dressing could not be easier to make and you likely already have all of the ingredients you need in your pantry.

Greek Vinaigrette Ingredients:

olive oil
red wine vinegar
lemon juice
fresh minced garlic
salt and pepper
dried oregano

To make the dressing, add all of the ingredients to a food processor or high powered blender and pulse or blend until the dressing is well combined. Once the dressing is blended, give it a taste and adjust the amount of salt and pepper to your tastebuds before pouring the dressing over the pasta and veggies.

How to Make This Greek Pasta Salad Recipe

Step One: Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Once al dente, drain and rinse the pasta with cold water.

Step Two: Add the pasta, bell pepper, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, red onion, feta cheese, and dill to a large mixing bowl.

Step Three: Add all of the dressing ingredients to a high powered blender or food processor and blend until well combined.

Step Four: Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until well combined.

Step Five: Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

My Favorite Pasta Salad Tips and Tricks

Don’t over cook your pasta. Cook the pasta al dente so that it still has a bit of bite.
Drain and rinse the pasta under cool water to remove any excess starch before adding it to your mixing bowl
Salt your water while cooking the pasta to ensure that it has plenty of flavor.
Dice the red onion well. That way you don’t end up with huge pieces of onion in your salad.
Don’t skip mincing the garlic when making the dressing. When you mince the garlic before adding it to your food processor or blender, it blends more evenly into the dressing.

What to Serve With Pasta Salad

This pasta salad recipe is great on its own or you can pair it with your favorite protein to make it more of a complete meal. I love bringing this dish to a summer potluck or backyard barbecue.