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Greek Pasta Salad

September 3, 2016 by Christy Gurin (updated February 24, 2025) | Rate Recipe

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Greek pasta salad with juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, fresh herbs, olives and other goodies, all tossed in a tangy lemon vinaigrette.

large bowl of pasta salad with greek flavors like kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, herbs and feta

Pasta salad has a reputation for being the basic beezy of BBQ foods. It’s normally a filler, lurking on the sidelines – simple, bland, and just asking to be overlooked. Pasta salad can be a real showstopper, when you bring the A game.

I pretty much always lean toward Greek pasta salad or at least something with a touch of  mediterranean flair. If its done right, those flavors come together in the most refreshing, delicious way. Using fresh herbs like basil or parsley, kalamata olives, feta, and the best of the veggie world is the magic behind making an epic Greek pasta salad.

To make it a full meal, it pairs well with my Mediterranean lemon and Greek yogurt marinated chicken recipe and other fresh, lemon and herb forward flavors flavors. They’re seamlessly delicious together!

large bowl of pasta salad with kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and feta on a wood background with lemon, basil and other ingredients in background

The main show stopping ingredients are the cherry tomatoes (which are epic this time of year), cucumber, fresh basil, olives, feta, and that tangy vinaigrette.

And if you hate any of these ingredients, don’t throw this Greek pasta salad recipe out altogether! Just tweak it to fit your preferences.

Olives can be replaced with capers or something else salty. Cucumbers with red peppers or something else with a bit of a crunch. The recipe here is my favorite combo, but adjusting to suit your tastes or what’s in your fridge is part of what makes cooking so fun.

Unlike mayo filled pasta salads that have haunted your worst foodie nightmares, Greek pasta salad uses a tangy oil and vinegar based dressing. Its basically homemade salad dressing, just a little more pungent since pasta needs more of a flavor punch than most green salads do.

In making a good vinaigrette dressing for a pasta salad, there are really a few key tricks. It’s all about getting that acid, oil, and salt ratio right. Everything else is simply extra. And, like most salad recipes I make, I use a mason jar to emulsify it all together. No need to get fancy when a little shaking does the trick. 

Here’s what it looks like pre-shake.

greek salad dressing with oil, vinegar, garlic and herbs in a mason jar before mixing

And voila – 5 seconds later, the dressing is ready!

pasta salad dressing all mixed up in a mason jar with a white background

I love using the pint sized mason jars for dressings like this. Plus, pro tip – you can totally use this as a salad dressing later on if you make a little extra. 

close up of bowl of pasta salad with kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and feta o

This pasta salad can be made the day before too, which is great in my book. I love getting prep work done ahead of time so that I can feel less rushed the day of a BBQ or dinner party. It gives flavors time to meld too, which can make the dish taste even better.

One thing to note for day before prep warriors – you might want to hold the feta and olives and add those just before serving. The olives make purple spots on the noodles overnight and the feta will just melt into the dressing.

side angle of a large bowl of pasta salad with kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and feta on a wood background with lemon, basil and other ingredients in background
Recipe
A bowl of penne pasta salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and crumbled feta cheese. Sliced lemon and an empty jar are beside the bowl on a wooden surface.
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Greek Pasta Salad

Created by: Christy Gurin
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Total Time 32 minutes mins
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Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Total Time 32 minutes mins
8
Greek pasta salad with juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, fresh herbs, olives and other goodies, all tossed in a tangy lemon vinaigrette.
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 lb. penne pasta
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 english cucumber, quartered long-ways and then sliced
  • 1 cup kalamata olives, halved
  • 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped basil
  • 3 Tbsp. chopped parsley
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 2 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tsp. salt

Instructions

  • Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. After draining cooked pasta in a colander, run cold water over pasta until all noodles are cooled and no longer warm. Drain well and place pasta in a large serving bowl.
  • Add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, onion, basil, and parsley and mix together with a large spoon. Set aside.
  • Add all dressing ingredients to a small mason jar or tightly sealing container. Shake well to emulsify oil and vinegar and thoroughly mix dressing.
  • Pour dressing over pasta salad and toss to evenly coat the noodles and vegetables. Gently fold in the feta cheese and serve.

Notes

* If making the day before serving, mix everything together except olives and feta and toss with dressing. Add the feta and olives right before serving. The noodles will absorb the flavor of the dressing over night, making it even more flavorful. The olives will turn your noodles purple in some places and the feta will disintegrate into the dressing if added with everything else the day before, but it will still taste great.

Nutrition

Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 618mg | Potassium: 326mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 845IU | Vitamin C: 19.2mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 1.9mg

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posted in: Grains, Lunches, Recipes, Salads, Side Dishes, Stovetop, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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Hi, I'm Christy

I started cooking, baking, and helping in the kitchen when I was old enough to reach the counter. I am a food lover with a focus on quick and easy dinners using wholesome ingredients that are approachable for the home chef. If you crave flavor but always find yourself short on time, you’re in the right place.

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