This Greek pasta salad recipe is perfect for summer gatherings, picnics, and quick lunches throughout the season. It’s packed with feta, olives, fresh herbs, and a tangy lemon-oregano dressing!
Here’s my favorite when it comes to pasta salad: Greek pasta salad! As a recipe creator for over ten years, I’ve crafted nearly every pasta salad you can think of. And this one tops my list!
This recipe highlights Mediterranean flavors with chewy bowtie pasta: succulent cherry tomatoes, refreshing cucumber, briny olives, and rich feta, along with generous amounts of fresh parsley and dill, plus a Greek-style vinaigrette dressing. I enjoy preparing this for picnics, cookouts, potlucks, barbecues, or even for wholesome lunches during the week.
5 Star Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This is an amazing pasta salad. It’s great for summer, and I adore bow tie pasta. Thank you!” -Odile
Ingredients in Greek Pasta Salad
The idea of pasta salad is a creation from America, as you might surmise! One of the earliest print mentions is a macaroni salad recipe from 1914, though it gained significant popularity during the 1980s.
The most prevalent type of American pasta salad is Italian: the version with olives, mozzarella, and an Italian-style dressing. Greek pasta salad is again distinctly American, but includes Greek-style ingredients like tomatoes, cucumber, olives, feta cheese, and dill. Here are the components you’ll need for a Greek pasta salad recipe:
Bowtie pasta (farfalle): My preferred shape for this dish: the little ruffles hold the dressing well and are enjoyable to eat.
Cherry tomatoes: Halved so every bite offers a juicy explosion.
English cucumber: Opt for an English cucumber as there’s no need to peel or seed: I also find they taste the best!
Red bell pepper: Chopped finely for color and crunch.
Shallot: Thinly sliced for a gentler, sweeter taste than red onion.
Fresh parsley AND fresh dill: Both are necessary, not just one. The dill contributes essential Greek-inspired flavor.
Kalamata olives: They provide the perfect burst of flavor, but feel free to leave them out if you’re not a fan.
Feta cheese crumbles: This brings the right salty, substantial essence.
For The Greek Dressing
The dressing for this Greek salad is quick and effortless to prepare, using lemon juice, red wine vinegar, dried herbs, and olive oil. It’s a smaller amount than many pasta salads call for, but the flavor truly stands out! You can opt for a store-bought dressing if you’re short on time, but we recommend making the homemade version when possible.
Use both dried oregano and dried dill. You may be tempted to skip the dried dill since fresh is included in the salad, but it’s crucial for the flavor!
Substitute ½ cup of purchased Greek vinaigrette dressing if you’re in a hurry. Search for the highest quality dressing available: the flavor can vary widely by brand. Spending a little extra is worth it for better taste.
The Best Pasta Shape
This Greek pasta salad is best with bowtie pasta or farfalle, but other pasta shapes work too! We appreciate how farfalle melds with the ingredients and how this shape absorbs the dressing. Note: the surface area of each pasta shape differs. In our tests, we found that 1 pound of bowties seems to yield less pasta than 1 pound of spirals. That said: here are some pasta shapes that pair well in a Greek pasta salad recipe:
Bowties (farfalle): our top choice!
Spirals (fusilli)
Penne
Shells (conchiglie)
Orecchiette
Gemelli
Gigli
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
This Greek pasta salad is perfect for preparing in advance for a cookout or barbecue. In fact, we’ve made it up to 2 days ahead of a gathering and stored it in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Here’s what to keep in mind about this salad:
Greek pasta salad can last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. It’s great for preparing ahead or healthy lunches throughout the week.
After refrigeration, be sure to enhance the flavors. Allow the salad to come to room temperature. Then mix in a splash of olive oil and a bit more crumbled feta cheese. You might need to add an extra pinch of salt.
Tip on Serving Size
This Greek pasta salad yields a large amount: 10 to 12 side dish servings or roughly 8 lunch-sized servings. It stays fresh for 5 days when refrigerated. If you believe you won’t consume it all in that time, you may want to consider making a half batch. It’s simple to create half!
What to Serve with Greek Pasta Salad
This recipe complements just about anything: especially during the summer! Here are a few