Greek Pasta Salad

This Greek pasta salad is quick and easy with a tangy vinaigrette tossed with fresh juicy tomatoes, zesty sliced olives and crumbled feta cheese. It’s a flavorful cool side dish for all your summer fun as it’s easy to make ahead. Can be made gluten-free and vegan.

I usually have all the ingredients for this pasta on hand, so it’s ready to go when I’m hungry for some carbs. It’s a great addition to summer gatherings, family dinners and it makes a quick satisfying lunch, too.

It’s a filling vegetarian side dish that’s perfect for using up the veggies in your fridge and is definitely hard to resist.

Ingredients

The vinaigrette dressing is so easy to make. Just add the ingredients and whisk them together.

• Balsamic vinegar
• Dijon mustard
• Lemon, juiced
• Dried Italian seasoning
• Olive oil

For the pasta salad:

• Box pasta (any shape you like)
• Cherry tomatoes
• Feta cheese
• Sliced olives
• Salt and pepper

How to make this pasta salad:

1. Boil the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette.
3. Once the pasta has cooled, add the vinaigrette and toss with the pasta.
4. Add the tomatoes, feta and olives.
5. Season with salt and pepper and chill!
6. Garnish, if desired.

It takes about 10 minutes of prep and less than 10 minutes to cook the pasta. You can serve this pasta dish warm or chill it in the fridge and serve it cold. It’s fabulous either way.

It serves 8 and is perfect for picnics and grill-outs.

It’s a great make-ahead dish! Just store it in the fridge for up to 3 days, then take it on all your summer adventures.

After storing in the fridge, you can add a little fresh herb like basil to give it a more robust aroma and fresher taste.

Feel free to add anything you like to this Greek pasta salad!

Sliced cucumbers, cubed avocado, sweet red onions or raw bell peppers, grilled zucchini, diced sun-dried tomatoes, crunchy pine nuts, or roasted chickpeas would all be delicious additions.

What kind of pasta should I use?

Any kind of pasta would work. You could use bow tie, rotini, or penne, it’s really is up to you.

I wouldn’t go for spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine, but only because I prefer a shorter pasta with texture for this salad.

Can I make it vegan?

Yes, with some modifications.

Dijon mustard in the vinaigrette and feta cheese is not vegan. But you could use a vegan balsamic dressing of your choice and replace the feta and fresh tomatoes with sun-dried tomatoes to give it a vegan version with a rounded tangy flavor. You could leave the fresh cherry tomatoes, but it might be a weird mix of tomatoes.

Balsamic vinegar is traditionally vegan. If you splurge for the expensive stuff that is certified and doesn’t have any cheap ingredients, then yes, it’s most likely vegan. The cheaper varieties may be vegan, but always check out the manufacturer’s website.

Fresh pasta is made with eggs and flour (so not vegan); oddly, packaged dry pasta is almost always vegan. This post has some good information on Vegan Pasta if you’re interested in learning more.

Can I make it gluten-free?

Sure, just use gluten-free pasta, it’s easy to find and would taste just as good.

Balsamic vinegar is almost always gluten-free. Just check for malts, colorings, flavorings or thickeners.

Mustard is a plant and generally, it is naturally gluten-free. The seeds when ground into a powder or oil are also gluten-free.

However, wheat flour can be added as a thickener, but will always be stated on the ingredients list. So check the labels.

I found a great list of Gluten-free Mustard so that you can be confident before you buy.

It’s always important to check ingredients to ensure it’s suitable for your gluten-free diet.

Do I have to use black olives?

Certainly not, feel free to choose your favorite type of olive. I love roasted olives for a rustic taste, but green olives would also be great. Kalamata olives are a winner, as well.

I’ve never met an olive I didn’t like, but if you’re not an olive fan, just replace it with something else that matches your style.

Can I use something other than feta?

Sure, I love the saltiness of feta, but you could use just about any cheese you have in the fridge. I don’t think cheddar would be my first choice. I’d rather go with cheese that is reminiscent of the Mediterranean, like mini Mozzarella balls or fresh Pecorino. Adding fresh pecorino would add a little heat, so I would scale back on the pepper a bit.

Other healthy pasta dishes:

• If quinoa is more your thing, try this delicious Quinoa Chickpea Greek Salad. It’s a vegetarian side dish that has vegetarian proteins, and it’s simple. You have your carbs, protein and healthy fats with lots of veggies all rolled up into one healthy, hearty dish!
• This Healthy Cajun Chicken Pasta is a crowd-pleaser. It has a milk and cheese-based sauce and can be made with regular flour, white whole wheat flour or gluten-free, grain-free flour.
• This Spaghetti Squash Alfredo is made with a lightened-up that tastes as delicious as a traditional sauce. With gluten-free and keto options.
• This Avocado Pesto Sauce is so easy and bright and wonderfully creamy. It’s naturally vegan, whole30, keto, paleo, and nut-free.
• Another favorite is this Vegan Tomato Cream Sauce which is cashew-based with garlic and basil. It’s paleo, whole30, and keto-friendly, and can be made in minutes.
• This Lemon Garlic Pasta is super quick and flavorful. It’s perfect for summer and can be made as a main dish or side dish. Can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta.
• The same is also true of this great-looking Ensalada de Coditos, which is also perfect for BBQs.

I hope you’re going to love this Greek-style pasta salad! If you try this or any recipe you find on the site, I would love to see pics and hear about your experience. Just tag 📸 and follow #fooddoodlesrecipes so that I can find them easily. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and don’t forget to follow my favorite boards Pinterest so you can get daily recipes easily. Enjoy!

5 from 2 votes

Greek Pasta Salad

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 8 people

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

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For the Vinaigrette:

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• ⅓ cup olive oil

For the Salad:

• 1 box pasta (I used rotini but you can use any kind)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 8-ounce (225-gram) package feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 5-ounce (140-gram) jar sliced olives, drained
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Bring water to a boil and add salt just before you add the pasta. Cook it according to the directions, drain and transfer to a large bowl. You don’t want mushy pasta nor do you want it perfectly al dente because the pasta will harden slightly as it cools. I recommend cooking it a tad past al dente to get the best texture.
• While the pasta is cooking, mix together the vinaigrette in a small bowl and set aside.
• Let the pasta cool a bit before you add the vinaigrette and other ingredients, this will keep the veggies crisp and fresh, and won’t melt the feta.
• Once the pasta has cooled, add the vinaigrette and toss with the pasta.
• Then, add the halved cherry tomatoes, feta cheese and sliced olives. Gently toss so you don’t break up the feta too much.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste. And chill! It can also be served at room temp.
• When you’re ready to serve, garnish with freshly diced parsley or basil if desired.
• Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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