This classic Greek Pasta Salad is a delightful combination of crisp vegetables, salty feta cheese, briny olives, and tender pasta tossed in a light and flavorful dressing. It's a no-fuss recipe using simple ingredients that you can quickly and easily put together.
I enjoy salads that are more vegetable based with less lettuce. I find my guests like them too! This pasta caprese salad and this DIY Salad Bar are great for family, friends and when entertaining.
Table of contents
Why You'll Love This Greek Pasta Salad
- Fresh and Vibrant: The salad features a variety of colorful vegetables, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, and bell peppers, offering a delightful crunch and flavor in every bite.
- Salty and Tangy: Feta cheese adds a creamy and salty element, while kalamata olives provide a touch of brine that perfectly complements the other ingredients.
- Simple and Customizable: This salad comes together quickly with minimal prep work. Feel free to adjust the vegetables based on your preferences or what's in season!
- 3 Ingredient Greek Dressing - This dressing is easy, fresh, and flavorful, letting the salad ingredient flavors shine.
Ingredients
This salad is one of my favorites because it is and it tastes so fresh!
For the Salad
- 8 oz. good quality pasta, cooked according to package directions and cooled
- 1 English cucumber, sliced
- 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
- ½ green bell pepper, sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 4 ounces feta cheese, cubed into ½ inch or smaller pieces
- ½ heaping cup of whole Kalamata olives (or your preferred type)
When you are using pasta as a featured ingredient, do yourself a favor and buy good quality pasta. It will not get as mushy and holds it's shape better. Look for Made in Italy and in my experience, it's usually sold in bags, not the boxes.
For the Dressing
Easy, fresh and tastes so flavorful!
- A light and flavorful vinaigrette (Easy Greek Salad Dressing with three ingredients)
- OR
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: According to package directions, cook your pasta. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool.
- Prep the Vegetables: Wash and chop the cucumber, tomatoes, and bell pepper (if using) into bite-sized pieces.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, sliced cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, feta cheese, and olives.
- Dress and Serve: Drizzle your prepared vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients. Serve immediately and enjoy the fresh flavors of this classic Greek Pasta Salad!
Tips
- Use high-quality ingredients for the best flavor. Opt for fresh, seasonal vegetables and a good quality feta cheese.
- For a more vibrant salad, slice the cucumber with the peel on.
- Let the chopped vegetables sit for a few minutes before assembling the salad to allow any excess juices to release, preventing a watery salad. You can also remove the seeds from the tomatos to decrease the juices from the tomato.
Storage
This salad only stores for a couple of days due to the cut up vegetables. Prepare the amount needed for the meal, or prep ingredients separately the day before and assemble right before serving. The dressing can be made a day before but allow it to warm to room temperature before serving. Refrigerating the dressing will make it thicker (due to the olive oil).
FAQs
If you have a favorite and your family loves a specific dressing, sure! I would encourage you to try making homemade dressings. They are easy and delicious!
I would serve an easy protien, like these three ingredient marinated pork chops or this easy marinaded chicken. Without the protien, you have a vegetarian appropriate hearty salad!
Other Delicious Flavorful Salads
Greek Pasta Salad with Easy Greek Dressing
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil use your favorite olive oil or extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice fresh squeezed from a lemon is best
- ½ teaspoon oregano dried
For the Salad
- 1 English Cucumber sliced (if using regular cucumbers, remove seeds)
- 1 Tomatoes thinly sliced
- ½ Green Pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
- 4 oz Feta Cheese cut into ½ inch squares (using crumbled feta is also fine!)
- ½ cup Olives Kalamara Olives - pitted and used whole.
- 8 oz Pasta Cooked to al dante and cooled
Instructions
- Add olive oil, lemon juice and oregano into an 8 oz mason jar with a lid.
- Shake until emulsified
- Drizzle over your fresh Greek Salad and gently toss.
Notes
If you do have leftovers, refrigerate. The cut up vegetables (especially the tomatoes) don't last well for more than a couple of days
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