Greek Pasta Salad
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
45 mins
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Cook Time
12 mins
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Total Time
42 mins
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Servings
8 servings
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Course
Salad
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Cuisine
Mediterranean
Greek Pasta Salad
Description
Greek Pasta Salad features tube- or spiral-shaped pasta combined with an array of Mediterranean-inspired ingredients including cherry tomatoes, cucumber, roasted red peppers, black olives, corn kernels, red onion, and crumbled feta cheese. The dressing is a blend of olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, honey, fresh garlic, and dried herbs like oregano, parsley, and dill, creating a tangy and mildly sweet complement.
The salad is tossed lightly in the dressing after allowing the pasta to cool to room temperature, ensuring the flavors meld without becoming soggy. The inclusion of fresh herbs and a balance of salty feta with crisp vegetables contributes to a refreshing texture and layered flavor that highlights the Mediterranean profile.
Served chilled or at room temperature, this salad pairs well as a side for grilled meats or as a standalone dish in warmer weather. Garnishing with additional fresh parsley and feta adds brightness and visual appeal.
To reduce the sharpness of the red onion, soaking in ice water for 10 minutes before adding it can help. You can adjust the dressing quantity to your preference, making the salad as lightly or richly dressed as you like, and substitute or vary the vegetables according to availability and taste.
Ingredients
Dressing:
- ½ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- ½ teaspoon oregano dried
- ¼ teaspoon salt use more if using coarse, kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon parsley dried
- ¼ teaspoon dill dried
Salad:
- 12 to 16 to 16 ounces pasta tube- or spiral-shaped, like penne, cascatelli, rotini, etc
- 1 cup cherry tomato halved or grape tomato
- 1 cup cucumber diced, about 1 small English cucumber
- 1 cup red peppers chopped, roasted, 12-ounce jar, drained
- 1 cup black olives or kalamata olives, sliced or halved, 6-ounce can, drained
- 1 cup corn kernels sweet, fresh or frozen, thaw and pat dry if frozen
- ½ to 1 to 1 cup feta cheese crumbled
- ¼ to ½ to ½ cup red onion finely diced, see note
- parsley or basil, chopped, fresh, optional
Instructions
- For the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients (or shake in a jar) until well-combined. Set aside.
- For the pasta, cook in a pot of boiling, lightly salted water until al dente, according to package directions. Drain. Let it cool to room temperature, tossing now and again to prevent sticking.
- While the pasta cooks, start chopping ingredients for the salad.
- Combine the pasta with all the other salad ingredients (can save feta to add last, if you want). Whisk the dressing to recombine and drizzle over the salad. Toss well.
- Garnish with a bit more crumbled feta and fresh parsley, if desired. Serve. (If the salad has sat for a while, give it a good stir, getting the dressing up from the bottom to recombine with the salad ingredients.)
Notes
- Soak red onion in ice water for 10 minutes to mellow sharpness before adding to salad.
- Use block feta cheese instead of pre-crumbled for creamier texture and better flavor.
- Adjust dressing amount to taste; the salad is lightly dressed but can accommodate more.
- Feel free to vary salad ingredients based on your preference or available vegetables.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 serving | |
| Calories | 371kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 50g | 17% |
| Protein | 10g | 20% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 8mg | 3% |
| Sodium | 659mg | 27% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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