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Greek Pasta Salad

Greek pasta salad with rotini or penne and a bright garlic-lemon-oregano vinaigrette. Crisp cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, red onion, and crumbled feta get tossed in a tangy, herb-forward dressing and chilled for easy, make-ahead flavor.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Greek-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 1 lb rotini or penne
Vegetables and feta
  • 1 English cucumber
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup kalamata olives
  • 6 oz feta cheese
  • 0.5 red onion
  • 1 green bell pepper
Greek vinaigrette
  • 0.5 cup olive oil
  • 0.25 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 2 clove garlic
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp pepper

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook the rotini or penne until al dente, then drain and rinse cold. Cool completely to stop the pasta from cooking further.
Make the lemon-garlic vinaigrette
  1. Whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dried oregano, minced garlic, honey, salt, and pepper together until smooth and combined. Set aside so the flavors meld while you prep.
Assemble the salad
  1. Combine the cooled pasta with diced English cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, halved kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, thinly sliced red onion, and diced green bell pepper. Toss gently so the feta stays evenly distributed.
  2. Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Stop when everything looks glossy and evenly seasoned.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to chill and allow the dressing to soak in. Cover, then give the salad a quick toss and re-season before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: Rinse the cooked pasta cold and cool it fully before combining—this keeps the salad crisp and prevents a mushy texture when chilled. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; toss again right before serving. Freezing is not recommended because the cucumber and tomatoes get watery after thawing. For a lighter option, use crumbled reduced-fat feta (same amount) to lower calories while keeping the tangy Greek flavor.