Greek Pasta Salad

At a glance

What stands out: This Greek pasta salad with feta is a reliable side dish for picnics and barbecues, and it makes a great tasting lunch, too! It’s straightforward to mix and so rich.

How long it takes: 40 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: pasta pot, colander, bowl for mixing salad
Servings: 12

You can always count on Greek food to deliver in the fresh-ingredient-and-big-bold-flavor department.

This Greek pasta salad with feta is a heartier, main course version of our chopped Greek salad, another favorite of ours. Canned garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas) contribute protein and a chewy textural element but you can switch things up as you see fit. We share some ideas later!

About This Greek Pasta Salad

So much flavor. With olives, tomatoes, feta cheese, and a zippy vinaigrette, this salad is bursting with flavor. It’s the reliable balance of salty and tangy. The Greek salad dressing is a simple vinaigrette that is good on almost any type of salad. It’s straightforward—red wine vinegar, olive oil, and lots of oregano. (You’ll also see it on our Greek salad recipe which is made with crisp romaine lettuce.)

A light and fresh pasta salad. This isn’t a pasta salad that’s weighed down with gobs and gobs of mayo. Instead, a light vinaigrette brings everything together.

Reliable for picnics and backyard get-togethers. Another great thing about this Greek pasta salad not being mayo-based is that you don’t have to worry quite as much about it spoiling if it sits out at room temperature. That’s always a plus when you’re eating al fresco!

Customizable. As mentioned before, you can easily switch up the ingredients in this Greek pasta salad to your liking. Feel free to swap in different types of vegetables based on what you have on hand. This salad is hearty enough to serve on its own for lunch or a light dinner but you can also make it a main course by adding marinated Greek chicken.

Allison Said:

“This is rich! The dressing is absolutely reliable.”

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What goes in

• Rotini pasta: You could use another shape if you’d like, but we think rotini is ideal for this Greek pasta salad because it has plenty of nooks and crannies to catch the dressing.
• Red onion: We always mellow the flavor of onions by soaking the cut onions in ice water for 10 minutes. It makes a difference! You don’t want the sharp flavor of onions to overpower the rest of the salad.
• English cucumber: We like the tender-skinned cucumbers for salad because you don’t have to peel them. In addition, the skin has lots of extra nutrients. You can use a garden cucumber instead, but you’ll need to halve it lengthwise and scoop out the pulpy seeds to keep your salad from getting soggy.
• Grape tomatoes: For salads like this one, we prefer grape or cherry tomatoes rather than diced tomatoes because they don’t release as much liquid. However, if you have garden-ripe tomatoes, feel free to use them instead.
• Feta cheese: Although this isn’t a creamy Greek pasta salad per se, the feta will break down in the dressing a bit, adding lots of richness.
• Kalamata olives: You can use another variety of Greek olive, but we use kalamata because we love their flavor and they’re widely available.
• Garbanzo beans: Rinse and drain the beans well. If you’re not a fan, white beans are a good substitute. They’re a little bit softer, though, and won’t hold their shape as well.
• Dressing: A good extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, and a seasoning combination of oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Recipe Tip

We love all the gluten-free and legume-based pastas on the market today! That said, in our experience, many (if not most) of them don’t hold up well in pasta salads. As they absorb the dressing, they tend to break apart. We recommend cooking the pasta al dente if you want to try an alternative pasta in this recipe, and don’t dress the salad until you’re ready to serve it.

How it comes together

Cook the pasta. Follow the instructions on the package and be sure to salt the water well. This seasons the pasta from the inside as it absorbs the water. Drain and rinse with cold water, and drain again. Rinsing the pasta with cold water stops it from cooking more, cools it down for the salad, and removes the excess starch.

Assemble the salad. Combine the cooked pasta, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, olives, and garbanzo beans in a large bowl that gives you ample room for tossing.

Make the dressing. Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, and seasonings until the mixture is emulsified. Putting everything in a jar, closing it, and shaking can make this easier. If you happen to have oregano growing in your garden, you can substitute it for the dry oregano. Use more because fresh herbs aren’t quite as potent as dried.

Finish. Add the dressing to the salad and toss to coat. Check the seasoning of the salad before you serve it; add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve the Greek pasta salad right away or refrigerate for up to a day before serving.

Tips and Variations

• Take a shortcut. You can use store-bought Greek dressing instead of making your own vinaigrette if you’d like. We recommend dressing the salad and tasting it before deciding to add salt and pepper because commercial salad dressing can be fairly salty.
• Add more protein. Extra chickpeas or beans, or Instant Pot shredded chicken, will take this Greek pasta salad from side dish to meal. Cooked shrimp goes well, too (or try our Greek orzo salad with shrimp). As an alternative, this lentil salad has Greek vibes, and is packed with protein.
• Make it ahead of time. This Greek pasta salad can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to a day before serving. Just make sure to give it a good toss before serving. For best results, we highly recommend storing the salad and dressing separately, then dressing the salad just before you serve it.
• Get creative with add-ins. Swap grilled or roasted vegetables for the fresh vegetables for a different twist. Sun-dried tomatoes or marinated artichokes go well in this salad. If you have fresh basil, that works—this is a recipe where you have room to experiment!

Serving Ideas

Chicken: This Greek pasta salad pairs well with grilled chicken or steak, making it the reliable side dish for a summer barbecue. When grilling isn’t on the agenda, air fryer chicken thighs are excellent too.

Kebabs: Add Mediterranean flair to your meal by serving this pasta salad with grilled halloumi kebabs.

More salads: If you’re making this for a backyard party, you know you’re going to need a bunch of salads for your guests to choose from! Tabbouleh salad, dill potato salad, and Mediterranean green bean salad are some of our favorites.

Storing Leftover Salad

Refrigerate: To store your Greek pasta salad, keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days. That’s assuming it hasn’t sat out at room temperature for several hours; if that’s the case, the salad should probably be discarded.

Serve: When you’re ready to serve the leftover salad, give it a good stir to redistribute the dressing. If it appears a bit dry, you can freshen it up with an extra drizzle of olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar before serving, or even make some extra dressing.

Summer Pasta Salad

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• Yield: 12
• Prep: 20 minutes
• Cook: 20 minutes
• Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD

• 1 pkg. (16 oz.) rotini pasta, uncooked
• 1 cup diced red onion ( ½ large onion)
• 2 cups diced English cucumber ( 1 cucumber)
• 2 cups halved grape tomatoes (about 10 oz.)
• 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
• ½ cup halved kalamata olives (see note)
• 1 can (16 oz.) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained (chickpeas)

FOR THE DRESSING

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Method

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain in a large colander, rinse with cold water until cooled, and drain very well.
2. In a large bowl, combine pasta, red onion (see note), cucumber, tomatoes, feta, olives, and garbanzo beans.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until well combined.
4. Pour dressing over salad and stir until everything is well combined. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 24 hours. Stir again just prior to serving. Pasta will continue to absorb the dressing as the salad sits. Add more dressing if desired.

Notes

Pro tip: To lessen the sharp flavor of red onions, soak the cut onions in ice water for at least 10 minutes, drain well and pat dry.

Olives: If you prefer, the salad can be made without olives, or you can use black or green olives instead.

Shortcut: Use ¾ cup of your favorite Greek dressing instead of making your own. Flavor and nutrition will vary depending on what type of dressing you use.