Easy Greek Pasta Salad [+ Video]

By Carrian Cheney
4.34 from 71 votes

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A fresh and easy Greek Pasta Salad just in time for summer! This crowd-pleasing side dish is tasty for backyard barbecues. Curly pasta to trap the dressing is essential, then load it up with a variety of olives, fresh cucumber and more!

a photo of Greek pasta salad in a large wooden serving bowl

This easy Greek pasta salad recipe is all about one thing: the chunks of feta cheese. Yes, I love the chewy pasta, the crunch of the fresh veggies, and the tangy dressing. It’s basically summer in a bowl, colorful and fresh.

But honestly? It’s all about the feta for me. Every time I see someone on the Food Network making a salad with chunks of feta cheese, I vow to stop what I’m doing and immediately follow their lead. And now, you can too.

This is one Greek pasta salad your guests will rave about! It is simply the BEST with your favorite summery grilled meats (find my favorite grilled chicken recipe here) or at any potluck or picnic you are attending.

What’s Needed for Greek Pasta Salad?

The red wine vinaigrette is so simple and flavorful, you can throw it together right before you need it. And it comes together in minutes with just a few pantry ingredients. Save the recipe because you’ll want it on all your other salads, too!

For the Greek Dressing:

Olive Oil
Red Wine Vinegar
Garlic
Dried Oregano
Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

I love the classic combination of cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and olives. Since grocery store tomatoes can be unpredictable, I go with my favorite brand of grape or cherry tomatoes and slice them lengthwise. I also use red onion and kalamata olives, but you are welcome to substitute your favorite onions and olives.

For the Pasta Salad:

Rotini Pasta
English Cucumber
Diced Bell Pepper
Sliced Red Onion
Grape Tomatoes
Feta Cheese
Kalamata Olives

The measurements and details for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

a photo of all the ingredients for greek pasta salad in separate small bowls

Carrian’s Notes

Carrian’s Secret to the BEST Greek Pasta Salad

The red onion adds a crunch and flavor that cannot be skipped, and I’ll be honest, I don’t usually love raw onions. My method to get killer flavor without the harsh bite of a raw onion? Soak it!! Using slightly salted, cold water, give your onions a ten-minute soak to help the onions remain crisp yet mellow that overwhelming onion-y-ness.

How to Make Greek Pasta Salad

This feta and cucumber pasta salad couldn’t be easier to make! Here are the basic steps to making this simple pasta salad recipe:

Cook the Pasta: Follow the package instructions and cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water. Drain the pasta and let it cool.
Make the Dressing: Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
Assemble the Salad: Add all the prepared vegetables, feta, olives and cooled pasta to a large serving bowl. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to combine.

The recipe card below contains all the instructions and the recipe can be saved or printed there.

a photo taken over the top of a large wooden serving bowl full of greek pasta salad including tomatoes, red onions, black olives, cucumber, feta cheese and rotini pasta

What’s the Best Pasta for Pasta Salad?

You can use whatever pasta you want in this Greek Pasta Salad. I love rotini because it’s fun to eat and the kids love it. I also love the way the dressing gets caught in the nooks and crannies and infuses the pasta with flavor. Since all the other ingredients are chopped, I definitely suggest going with something thicker and bite-sized (as opposed to long, skinny spaghetti noodles).

How Long Will Pasta Salad Last?

To maximize the shelf life of pasta salad for safety and quality, the pasta salad should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Properly stored, pasta salad leftovers will last for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.

a photo of a large wooden bowl of greek pasta salad

Tips for the Best Pasta Salad

Note that slightly overcooked pasta is best in this simple pasta salad so that it doesn’t absorb all of that dressing.

I use English cucumbers in this easy pasta salad recipe because they taste the best (as if I just picked them from my own garden). They also have soft skins (no peeling) and minimal seeds (no seeding). Hothouse or Japanese cucumbers are another good choice if you can’t find English.

Be sure to buy a CHUNK of feta cheese, not the crumbled kind. It’s just not the same. The goal is uniformly cubed salty bites of feta because they look great and taste even better. It really brings the salad together!

Feta cheese is sold in a lot of varieties lately, so if you’re up for it we totally recommend trying a flavored versus traditional feta cheese. There’s not going to be a huge change but it gives an extra little something. And if you’re not feeling the feta cheese thing you can easily use parmesan or skip the cheese all together.

a photo of a greek pasta salad in a large wooden serving bowl

This easy Greek pasta salad is the perfect summer side dish or light meal. With fresh vegetables, feta cheese, and a homemade salad dressing this pasta salad is both delicious and healthy.