Greek Pasta Salad (Printable)
Vibrant Greek pasta salad with feta, olives, and crisp vegetables tossed in a zesty homemade dressing.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10 oz short pasta such as penne, rotini, or fusilli
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 English cucumber, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 3.5 oz Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
→ Cheese & Herbs
07 - 5 oz feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (optional)
→ Dressing
10 - 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1 garlic clove, minced
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 - Zest of 1 lemon
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled.
02 - In a large salad bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, diced cucumber, red bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and halved Kalamata olives.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, and lemon zest until well emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly to ensure everything is evenly coated.
05 - Gently fold in the crumbled or cubed feta cheese, chopped parsley, and dill if using, being careful not to break up the feta too much.
06 - Taste the salad and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dressing comes together with things already sitting in your pantry, and it tastes like something from a seaside taverna.
- It feeds a crowd happily, travels well, and actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a while.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water is non negotiable here because warm pasta will melt the feta into a strange paste.
- Do not dress the salad and then leave it at room temperature for hours, the garlic in the dressing gets aggressive and takes over.
03 -
- Soak the sliced red onion in ice water for five minutes and drain well before adding, it takes the burn out while keeping the crunch.
- Cube the feta instead of crumbling it, the little squares hold their shape and look beautiful against the colorful vegetables.