This Greek pasta salad will be your new go-to side dish all summer long! It’s easy to make ahead for parties and potlucks with pasta, veggies, feta and then tossed in a red wine vinaigrette.
More crowd-pleasing pasta salads we love include orzo salad, Caprese pasta salad and Italian tortellini pasta salad!
Table of Contents
Easy Greek Pasta Salad
One of my favorite summer side dishes to bring to a BBQ is pasta salad. This easy Greek pasta salad recipe combines an Italian pasta salad with a Greek salad and is tossed with a red wine vinaigrette instead of a creamy dressing like in my easy macaroni salad.
It’s the perfect potluck salad to make for a big crowd and is always one of the first to go. You can also easily add protein like grilled chicken or serve alongside this Greek meatball recipe. It is one of my favorite pasta recipes just like tomato feta pasta.
How to Make Greek Pasta Salad
- Cook pasta. Cook the pasta according to directions, then run under cool water and drain.
- Make dressing. While the pasta cooks, whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl until combined.
- Toss. Combine noodles, veggies, olives and feta in a large bowl. Pour the dressing on top and mix until combined. Then chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Variations + Tips
- You can easily swap out or leave out the vegetables in this salad. I know many prefer kalamata olives instead of black.
- You can use a store bought Greek dressing or red wine vinaigrette for a quick option as well. Or make your own Greek salad dressing with a sprinkle of Greek seasoning to give it a little more flavor!
- You can use a different type of noodle. I prefer ones with grooves to help hold the dressing. Rotini, fusilli, bow ties or cavatappi are my favorite noodles to use, although I have used orzo.
- Make sure to salt your pasta water well while cooking. This will help add flavor to the dish.
Making in Advance
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it’s the perfect dish to make ahead of time. The veggies are on the crunchier side, which means they won’t get soggy sitting in the fridge when mixed with the dressing.
You can definitely make the salad a day or two in advance if preferred. Then before serving, make sure to give it a big stir. You may need to add in a little more vinaigrette if it has dried out a little from being refrigerated.
Try these other salad recipe favorites including pesto chicken salad, chicken Caesar pasta salad and couscous salad.
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Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ pound rotini pasta
- 1 ½ cups grape or cherry tomatoes , halved
- 1 cup diced cucumber , sliced and quartered
- ½ cup red or orange bell peppers , chopped
- ½ cup red onion , chopped
- ½ cup sliced black olives
- ½ cup feta cheese , crumbled
- 2-3 Tablespoons Fresh parsley , chopped
Greek pasta salad dressing
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and ground black pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water while cooking the pasta. Run pasta under cool water and drain.
- Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, mustard and oregano in a small bowl.
- Combine pasta, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, red onion, olives, and feta cheese.
- Drizzle dressing over the pasta and stir until combined. Season salad with salt and pepper, to taste. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or until ready to serve, to let the flavors marry. Toss just before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: 4th of July, Mediterranean, Pasta Salad, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Delicious!!!!!!!!!
My favorite dish to take on a potluck! Quick, easy, and delicious!
It’s one of my potluck favorites too! :) Thanks for your comment and review, Deevy!
Soo good! Love all the fresh veggies and bright flavors
I love cold pasta salad on hot summer days. This one has so much flavor!
I’m so glad you hear you enjoyed it!
This was a great pasta salad and reminded me of my aunt’s pasta salad except she is Italian. Thanks for a great greek pasta salad that doesn’t use bottled dressing! This is a keeper.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Such a simple and delicious pasta salad recipe! I’ll be making this on repeat all summer long!
I’m so glad to hear you like it! :)