This 20-Minute Greek Pasta Salad is loaded with fresh veggies, Kalamata olives, and tangy feta cheese! Add some grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a heartier meal. A crowd-pleasing side dish perfect for Summer parties, potlucks, and picnics.
Greek Pasta Salad
Popping in on this sunny Saturday to share with you my new favorite dinner: Greek Style Pasta Salad! If you’ve been following my blog for a while now, you already know I have nothing but love for pasta salad. More specifically, super quick, super easy, and super delicious pasta salads. Because let’s be real: is there anything better than a big bowl of cold pasta salad on a hot Summer afternoon? The answer is no! So I truly hope you love pasta salad too! Because when it comes to this obsession, I see no end in sight 😉
And today this vibrant Greek-Style Pasta Salad joins the party! You guys.. this one is totally a keeper! Because when al dente pasta, crunchy veggies, tangy feta cheese, and creamy tzatziki vinaigrette join forces… you just know it’s going to be good. I actually brought this Greek inspired salad to a BBQ last weekend and it was the first dish gone! I couldn’t believe it! And half of the party guests ended up asking me for the recipe. That was when I knew I had to hop online and share it with you guys, too!
Pasta Salad Ingredients
- farfalle pasta AKA bow ties (but any small noodle shape will work)
- cucumber
- cherry tomatoes (chopped tomatoes will work in a pinch!)
- romaine lettuce (choose extra crispy leaves, when possible)
- fresh parsley
- kalamata olives
- red onion
- feta
- garlic
- olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- sugar (a drizzle of honey can work, too)
- salt and pepper
- tzatziki sauce
The last 7 ingredients will be used to make a creamy Greek red wine vinaigrette! I love using tzatziki sauce, which I usually buy at Trader Joe’s. But if you can’t find it, Greek yogurt will work OK. But you may want to add a little more vinegar lemon juice to the dressing. And if you’re watching your saturated fat intake, try zero fat Greek yogurt. If you want even more veggies, try adding in some bell pepper or avocado!
Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
- Add bow tie pasta to a large pot and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the vegetables and dressing.
- In a large bowl combine the prepared cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, romaine lettuce, parsley, olives, and onion.
- In a small bowl whisk together the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Add in the tzatziki sauce and mix until combined. Taste and add seasoning as needed. I almost always add more salt and pepper.
- When the pasta has finished cooking, drain it at once and quickly rinse it under cold water until cool, about 1 minute. This helps it cool quickly and keep its firmness.
- Place pasta in a large mixing bowl. Add dressing to pasta and toss well to coat. Add in the chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, parsley, olives, onion, and feta and toss to combine. Serve at once, or chill until needed.
20 Min
This pasta salad recipe can be made in exactly 20 minutes! I promise… I’ve timed myself making it 3 times! But you’ll need to work quickly and efficiently. When you set your water on the stove to boil, get busy chopping those veggies and making the dressing! That way when the pasta is cooked and drained, all you need to do is add everything together and toss!
Can pasta salad be made ahead of time?
Yes!!! However I find it’s best served right after it’s been tossed with the dressing.
How long will pasta salad last?
If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, store them in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 3 days. Sometimes I make a batch of pasta salad at the beginning of the week so I can enjoy a bowl everyday for lunch!
This pasta salad will be OK sitting out in a cool environment for about 2 hours, however, due to the deliciously creamy nature of tzatziki, it shouldn’t be left out in extremely warm conditions for long amounts of time. And should always be refrigerated when not being served.
If you’re looking to bulk this pasta salad up, try adding grilled chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas!
This recipe is so quick and easy! And perfect for lunch or dinner! I know we’ll be making this Greek pasta salad as an easy side all Summer long! Hope you do too 😉
For more Pasta Salad Recipes, Check Out:
- 20-Minute Rainbow Veggie Pasta Salad
- Avocado BLT Pasta Salad
- 20-Minute Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Pasta Salad
And if you try this recipe for Greek Pasta Salad, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day ♥
20-Minute Greek Pasta Salad
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 8 servings
Packed with fresh ingredients and tons of flavor, my Greek Pasta Salad is ready in just 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 pound farfalle pasta
- 1 cucumber
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups (about 8 leaves) romaine lettuce, chopped
- 3/4 cup fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- (1) 8 ounce container crumbled feta
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (more or less to taste)
- 1 cup tzatziki sauce
Instructions
- Place a large pot of salted water over high heat; bring to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.
- While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, prepare the vegetables and dressing. Halve the cucumbers lengthwise and remove the seeds with small spoon; slice into half-moons and set aside. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half; roughly chop the romaine lettuce; finely chop the parsley; slice the olives in half; thinly slice the onion; set aside. In a small bowl combine the minced garlic, olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper; whisk well to combine. Add in the tzatziki sauce and mix well; season to taste.
- When the pasta has finished cooking, drain it at once and quickly rinse it under cold water until cool, about 1 minute. Place cooled pasta in a large mixing bowl. Add dressing to pasta and toss well to coat.
- Add the chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, parsley, olives, onion, and feta and toss to combine. Serve at once, or chill until needed.
Notes
Pasta salad will keep, covered and stored in the fridge, for 3 days.
Courses Dinner
Cuisine Greek
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 large scoop
Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
% Daily Value |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Teri Giese says
May 21, 2016 at 6:28 pmSounds like the PERFECT Saturday!Can I be your friend?Love the salad,never a bad recipe.Hope your hike is glorious and the bistro meets your expectations.Am breaking in my new hybrid bike,maybe a swim,then off to salon to get PERTY. At 54,just gotta work with what you have!Excercise, live clean,being happy!
bakerbynature says
May 22, 2016 at 2:01 pmThank you, Teri! The hike was amazing and the bistro didn’t disappoint 😉 I hope your Saturday at the salon was lovely. xoxo
Kay says
May 21, 2016 at 10:11 pmGreat pasta salad
bakerbynature says
May 22, 2016 at 12:15 pmThank you, Kay!
thehautecookie says
May 23, 2016 at 3:03 pmwow looks so delishh!
bakerbynature says
May 25, 2016 at 7:10 pmThank you! It’s a favorite Summer meal 🙂
Yoav Weinberg says
May 23, 2016 at 4:43 pmIt was delicious! I onky changed the koriander to basil which made it even better!
bakerbynature says
May 25, 2016 at 7:10 pmYay! So happy you enjoyed this recipe, Yoav 🙂
Jeanie says
July 17, 2016 at 8:17 pmGreat recipe but I used your ingredient list which doesn’t have red onion like the picture. Would have made the salad even more delicious.
Amanda says
April 9, 2017 at 6:07 pmYou recipe pictures Red Onion included in the salad, but it is not listed in the recipe. Just wondering how much you use?
bakerbynature says
April 10, 2017 at 2:58 pmHi Amanda. I used 1/2 cup. I’ll check the recipe and adjust it now!
Rosie Bev says
April 10, 2017 at 2:29 pmWhat is tzatziki sauce? Never heard of it! Where.can I buy? Is there a substitute?
bakerbynature says
April 10, 2017 at 2:58 pmIt’s a creamy Greek sauce, you can find it most grocery stores. Trader Joe’s sells it too! I don’t have a substitution, but you may be able to google it and find some homemade versions.
Kaycee says
June 2, 2017 at 6:40 pmI couldn’t find tzatziki sauce so a lady at the store helped me find something similar. It was in the section with the hummus. The container said Greek yogurt dip- cucumber and dill. Sabrá makes a brand as well. I used it in my recipe and it was delicious.
Mpulle says
May 15, 2017 at 2:14 pmWow, today I made this salas for lunch and my husband loved it. It’s winter here though . Thank you so much.
Kim says
June 21, 2017 at 2:00 pmAwesome salad! My family loved it. I added a few artichokes, green onion and dill. skipped the romaine . will definitely make this again!
Hadia says
July 25, 2017 at 6:09 pmSounds amazing, and I love that you added pasta, perfect for outdoor dinners!
Anita Klein says
August 13, 2017 at 7:21 pmLove this. I will make it ahead for 3 days for lunches. The dressing is hands down awesome. I use honey in place of sugar and used apple cider vinegar since I didn’t have red wine vinegar. Amazing.
Emilie says
June 2, 2019 at 6:40 pmVery good ! it was delightful but I substituted tzatziki for plain yogurt so it was a little heavy. But apart from this, it’s a nice recipe !