The Best Greek Pasta Salad Recipe (Easy Make-Ahead Side Dish)
This Greek Pasta Salad is everything you want in a summer side dish—fresh, colorful, flavorful, and easy to make ahead. Tender campanelle pasta is tossed with crisp cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, and plenty of fresh parsley. The creamy homemade Greek dressing combines extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, dill, Italian seasoning, and just enough mayonnaise to bring everything together. Whether you’re serving it at a backyard barbecue, packing it for a picnic, or making it for meal prep, this easy Greek pasta salad recipe is guaranteed to disappear fast.
Why I love a good pasta salad like this one
This in my opinion is the perfect side dish. It’s full of fresh veggies. This recipe extremely adaptable! Gluten-free? Use gluten-free pasta or chickpea pasta. Prefer spicy? Add red pepper flakes, or add fresh chopped jalapeno pepper. I often veer off in a different direction depending on what I have on hand. If I have red bell pepper, I often will add this or rinse a can of garbanzo beans and add for protein and flavor. If I’m taking it to a picnic where it is going to be out in the heat for longer than mayo will allow I will often omit the mayonnaise. If pasteurized feta cheese is used the creamy feta cheese will mimic the creaminess that the mayonnaise adds to the salad. Although this really isn’t a mayonnaise heavy salad at all. Another reason I love this pasta salad besides how delicious it is, is that it tastes even better the next day. I love a greek salad and I love pasta salad so this is actually the best of both worlds!
Gather these ingredients
How to make Greek Pasta Salad
- Place a large pot of water on your stove top, turn heat up to medium-high, add a generous amount of salt to the water (2 tablespoons), and bring water to a boil.
- When water begins to boil, add pasta to water, and stir. Cook till al dente. When pasta is al dente pour cooked pasta into a colander and rinse with ice water to stop the cooking process.
- While pasta cooks, you can begin prepping your vegetables. Add chopped veggies to a large bowl.
- Add dressing ingredients to a small bowl or a mason jar and mix well to combine. Set aside.
- When vegetables are chopped, dressing has been mixed, and pasta is cooked add all to large mixing bowl add crumbled feta cheese and mix to combine.
That’s it! There is actually no way you can not get this right. This recipe is so forgiving, making it another reason why I love it so much.
Tips for the Best Greek Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta just right. Cook the campanelle pasta until al dente according to the package directions. Overcooked pasta can become mushy once it’s dressed and refrigerated.
- Rinse the pasta. After draining, rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it quickly for the salad.
- Let the pasta salad chill. Greek pasta salad tastes even better after it has had at least an hour to chill in the refrigerator. This gives the pasta time to absorb all those bright Mediterranean flavors.
- Reserve some of the dressing. If you’re making this salad a day ahead, reserve a few tablespoons of dressing to stir in before serving. The pasta will soak up some of the dressing as it sits.
- Don’t skip the fresh herbs. Fresh parsley adds a bright, fresh flavor that really makes this salad shine. Don’t be tempted to skip it. Also, if you happen to have fresh dill, or basil add these as well. The more the merrier.
- Adjust to your taste. Love olives? Add more. Want extra feta? Go for it. This recipe is easy to customize based on your family’s preferences.
Other things I love to add to this salad are black olive, or green olives if I don’t have kalamata olives on hand. I also love to add chopped pepperoncini to this salad. They add flavor, spice and the perfect zing!
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ’s
- Can I make this pasta salad ahead of time? Absolutely! In fact, this salad tastes even better after a few hours in the refrigerator. You can make it up to 24 hours in advance.
- How long will Greek pasta salad last? Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, Greek pasta salad will stay fresh for 3 to 4 days.
- What is the best pasta for this salad? Campanelle pasta works beautifully because its ruffled shape catches the dressing and small ingredients. Rotini, bowtie, penne, or cavatappi are also great choices.
- Can I make the dressing without the mayonnaise? Yes. The mayonnaise adds a creamy texture to the dressing, but you can omit it for a more traditional vinaigrette-style Greek pasta salad.
- Can I add protein to make it a meal? Definitely. Grilled chicken, shrimp, chickpeas, or even grilled steak pair wonderfully with the Mediterranean flavors in this salad. Chicken, Shrimp, and Chickpeas are my personal favorites.
- Do I need to peel the cucumber? Not necessarily. English cucumbers have thin skins and can be used unpeeled. If you’re using garden cucumbers with thicker skins, you may prefer to peel them.
- What should I serve with Greek Pasta Salad? This pasta salad pairs perfectly with grilled chicken, burgers, kabobs, pulled pork, or any summer barbecue menu. It’s also hearty enough to enjoy as a light lunch.
Other Great Salad Recipes you should try!
- Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad
- Pesto Caprese Pasta Salad
- Michigan Cherry Chicken Salad
- Ramen Noodle Napa Cabbage Salad
Thanks for stopping by….
If you’re looking for the perfect summer side dish, this Greek Pasta Salad checks every box. Packed with fresh vegetables, tangy feta cheese, briny olives, tender pasta, and a bright homemade Greek dressing, it’s the kind of recipe you’ll find yourself making all season long. Whether you’re heading to a potluck, planning a picnic, or simply looking for an easy make-ahead salad for busy weeknights, this crowd-pleasing recipe delivers big flavor with minimal effort.
If you try this recipe, be sure to leave a rating and review in the recipe card below—it helps others find the recipe and lets me know how it turned out for you! From my table to yours with love, Sheila
Greek Pasta Salad Recipe (Easy Make-Ahead Side Dish)
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta campanella, orecchiette, radiatori shapes are best
- 1 1/2 cups cucumber cubed peeled or unpeeled, both are fine
- 2 cups halved grape tomatoes
- 4 ounces kalamata olives, rough chopped half a jar
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
greek dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 lemon, squeezed
- 1 whole garlic clove, minced
- zest of the half of lemon
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper more per your taste
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
greek dressing
- Combine all the dressing ingredients in a mason jar, place lid on and shake. Whisk it with a fork. Set pasta salad dressing ingredients aside.
- Boil noodles per box instructions. Al dente. Strain in a colander, and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Chop and prep vegetables.
- Add cooked noodles, cucumber, tomato, kalamata olives, red onion, feta cheese, and parsley to a large mixing bowl.
- Pour dressing over pasta salad ingredients, stir to combine. Cover tightly with a lid or with plastic wrap place in refrigerator for a minimum of one hour before serving. Stir again before serving to mix up any dressing that may have sunk to the bottom.
