Greek Pasta Salad – A Couple Cooks

May 14, 2026

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This Greek pasta salad recipe is a go-to for cookouts, picnics, and simple lunches all summer season lengthy. It’s loaded with feta, olives, recent herbs, and a zippy lemon-oregano dressing!

Right here’s my go-to in terms of pasta salad: Greek pasta salad! As a recipe developer over the previous decade, I’ve made nearly each pasta salad recipe conceivable. And that is one my favourite (doubtless as a result of Mediterranean eating regimen recipes are my specialty!).

recipe stars Mediterranean-style flavors with chewy bowtie pasta: juicy cherry tomatoes, cool cucumber, salty olives, and savory feta, handfuls of recent parsley and dill, plus a Greek-style French dressing dressing. I really like making this for picnics, cookouts, pitch-ins, barbecues, and even for wholesome lunches all through the week.

5 Star Reader Evaluate

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This can be a great pasta salad. It’s good for summer season and I really like bow tie pasta. Thanks!” -Odile

Elements in Greek Pasta Salad

The idea of pasta salad is an American invention, as you would possibly guess! One of many first mentions in print is a macaroni salad recipe revealed in 1914, although the idea got here to full reputation within the 1980’s.

The most typical fashion of American pasta salad is Italian: the sort with olives, mozzarella and an Italian-style dressing. Greek pasta salad is once more totally American, however options Greek-style flavors like tomatoes, cucumber, olives, feta cheese and dill. Listed here are the elements you’ll want for a Greek pasta salad recipe:

Bowtie pasta (farfalle): My favourite form for this salad: the little ruffles catch the dressing and are enjoyable to eat.
Cherry tomatoes: Lower in half so each chew will get a juicy burst.
English cucumber: Use an English cucumber and there’s no must peel or seed: I additionally assume they style the perfect!
Crimson bell pepper: Diced small for colour and snap.
Shallot: Thinly sliced for a milder, sweeter chew than purple onion.
Contemporary parsley AND recent dill: Each, not either-or. The dill is what makes the Greek-inspired taste.
Kalamata olives: I believe they add simply the suitable pop to the flavour, however you’ll be able to omit should you’re not an olive fan.
Feta cheese crumbles: This provides simply the suitable salty, hearty vibe.

For The Greek Dressing

The dressing for this Greek salad is fast and easy to combine up, utilizing lemon juice, purple wine vinegar, dried herbs and olive oil. It’s a smaller amount than for a lot of pasta salads, however the taste actually pops! You should utilize a store-bought dressing should you’re operating low on time, however we recommend the do-it-yourself model if attainable.

Use each dried oregano and dried dill. You is likely to be tempted to omit dried dill since there’s additionally recent within the salad, but it surely’s important to the flavour right here!
Substitute ½ cup bought Greek French dressing dressing should you’re in a rush. Search for the very best quality dressing you could find: the flavour varies enormously primarily based on model. Paying just a few additional {dollars} is price it for taste.

The Greatest Pasta Form

This Greek pasta salad is good with bowtie pasta or farfalle, however you should utilize different pasta shapes too! We like how farfalle combines with the elements and the best way this form soaks up the dressing. Take note: the floor space of every pasta form is completely different. In our testing, we discovered that 1 pound of bowties appears like much less amount of pasta than 1 pound of spirals. That stated: listed below are just a few pasta shapes that work properly in a Greek pasta salad recipe:

Bowties (farfalle): our favourite!
Spirals (fusilli)
Penne
Shells (conchiglie)
Orecchiette
Gemelli
Gigli

Make-Forward and Storage Suggestions

This Greek pasta salad is good for making forward for a cookout or barbecue. In reality, we’ve made it as much as 2 days upfront of a celebration and refrigerated till serving. Right here’s what to find out about this salad:

Greek pasta salad lasts for as much as 5 days within the fridge. It’s best for making forward or wholesome lunches all through the week.
After refrigeration, make sure that to refresh the flavors. Carry the salad to room temperature. Then stir in a drizzle of olive oil and a bit extra crumbled feta cheese. It’s possible you’ll or might not want an additional pinch of salt.

Tip on Serving Measurement

This Greek pasta salad makes an enormous batch: 10 to 12 aspect dish servings or about 8 lunch-sized servings. It lasts for five days refrigerated. For those who don’t assume you’ll eat all of it in 5 days, you might need to think about making a half batch. It’s simple to make half!

What to Serve with Greek Pasta Salad

This recipe goes with absolutely anything: particularly in the summertime! Listed here are just a few concepts for what to serve with pasta salad:

Dietary Notes

This Greek pasta salad recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, omit the feta and add extra salt to style.

Incessantly Requested Questions

Can I take advantage of any sort of pasta for Greek pasta salad?

When you can technically use any sort of pasta, brief pasta shapes like rotini, farfalle, or penne work greatest for Greek pasta salad as they maintain the dressing properly and are simple to eat.

What sort of dressing is utilized in Greek pasta salad?

A traditional Greek French dressing is often used for Greek pasta salad. It’s made with olive oil, purple wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. You possibly can regulate the quantity of every ingredient to your style.

Can I add different elements to my Greek pasta salad?

Completely! Whereas the traditional elements are scrumptious, you’ll be able to customise your Greek pasta salad with different additions like chickpeas, grilled hen or shrimp, artichoke hearts, pepperoncini peppers, or recent herbs like parsley or dill.

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