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Greek Pasta Salad

Greek pasta salad with traditional Greek salad ingredients tossed in a lemon-oregano dressing for a bright red, white, green, and black color mix. Penne or rotini is cooked until tender, rinsed cold, then chilled so the flavors fully meld.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 1 lb penne or rotini pasta
Vegetables
  • 2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 large cucumber, diced
  • 0.5 cup red onion, thinly sliced
Greek add-ins
  • 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • 8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
Lemon-oregano dressing
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook the penne or rotini pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool to the touch.
Make the lemon-oregano dressing
  1. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper until evenly combined.
Toss and chill
  1. Combine the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, Kalamata olives, red onion, and most of the feta in a large bowl.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is coated.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the pasta absorbs the lemon dressing and the flavors meld.
Finish and serve
  1. Top with the remaining feta before serving for a fresh, salty contrast.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta well with cold water so it doesn’t keep cooking and the salad stays springy. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days; it can be frozen up to 1 month, but cucumber may soften after thawing. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat feta and reduce the olive oil to 2 tablespoons while keeping the lemon juice and vinegar the same.