On your marks, get set, off to Greece! This easy Greek Pasta Salad with homemade dressing is loaded with our favorite Mediterranean flavors. Greece is known for its fresh and delicious cuisine. This salad features traditional Greek salad ingredients with pasta for every season!
Fresh salad dressing!
My sister-in-law Sheri made this salad for me years ago and it has become a staple in our pasta salad rotation! A few years later I updated the dressing a bit. I’ve changed it from store-bought bottled dressing with a few mix-ins to a homemade dressing that I know you’ll love.
The original dressing recipe using bottled dressing is also on the post. This easy to make recipe can be made in about 30-40 minutes. I highly recommend chilling the salad for a few hours before serving to allow the flavors to develop! Like many pasta dishes, this Greek pasta salad definitely tastes great as leftovers the next day!
Full of color and the perfect side
Our Easy Greek Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing is packed with amazing flavors and beautiful colors. Bright colors in recipes are not only pleasing to the eye, they’re usually healthier too!
This fun Mediterranean Pasta Salad is a perfect side dish for so many dishes! We love this salad with grilled chicken or any type of grilled meat or fish!
Easy Greek Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing for parties
Potluck for the summer? This is the best take-out salad. It’s an instant hit and also delicious alongside burgers and hot dogs. Plus, it travels well and can be done ahead!
Easy Greek Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing is one of my favorite salads when I’m hosting a party and offering a few different salads for a meal. The flavors in this salad are unique and so different from most of our other favorites that it’s distinctive and different!
Preparation of the Greek Pasta Salad:
- Cook noodles according to package directions.
- Rinse the cooked pasta in cold water, drain.
- Set aside some feta and chopped vegetables for the salad.
- Add the remaining chopped vegetables (except tomatoes) to the salad bowl.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
- Fold the dressing, cheese and tomatoes into the pasta and vegetable mixture.
- Finally, sprinkle the reserved veggies and feta on top!
Some of our other favorite salads are: Basil Couscous Salad, Teriyaki Spinach Pasta Salad, Salad with chicken pear and smoked goudaand Mango Chicken Pasta Salad with Tarragon Dressing.
Easy Greek Pasta Salad with homemade dressing
Easy Greek Pasta Salad with homemade dressing is made with fresh ingredients like tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives, and feta cheese. It can be prepared in minutes and is best prepared ahead of time!
ingredients
-
1 1/2
lb
Noodles in the shape of small shells -
1
Cup
diced celery or green or red peppers -
1 14-15
oz
small or medium-sized black or green olives can be pitted
dehydrated -
1
Middle
Cucumber seeded and diced, chopped about 2 cups -
1
bunch
green onions
chopped -
3
Middle
diced tomatoes
seeded and chopped OR 8 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes -
1/2
Cup
grated parmesan cheese -
8-10
oz.
crumbled feta (reserve some for the salad)
Dressing:
-
1 1/4
Cup
Prepared Zesty Italian dressing in bottles -
1/2
Cup
Mayonnaise, regular or light -
1
tablespoon
Dry oregano - OR to make homemade dressing:
-
1/4
Cup
olive oil -
1/3-1/2*
Cup
White Balsamic Vinegar -
1/2
Cup
Mayo or plain unsweetened Greek yogurt
I prefer yogurt -
1
clove
chopped garlic
about 1 teaspoon -
1
tablespoon
Dry Italian Seasoning -
1
tablespoon
dry parsley or 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley -
1/2
teaspoon
Salt - ground pepper
-
1-2
teaspoon
honey, to taste
instructions
-
Cook pasta according to package directions, being careful not to overcook. Rinse with cold water and drain well.
-
In a large bowl, add the celery (or peppers), olives, cucumber, scallions, and tomatoes to the pasta. Set aside 1/2 to 1 cup of this mixture to garnish the salad.
-
In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing. If using bottle dressing, whisk together dressing, mayo, oregano, and pepper. If homemade, place all ingredients in a jar or deep bowl or blender. Use an immersion blender or regular blender to mix the dressing. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
-
Fold the dressing and cheese into the pasta and vegetable mixture.
-
Add tomatoes, fold in carefully.
-
Before serving, sprinkle reserved feta and some reserved vegetables on top of the salad.
recipe notes
- I use a dollop of the dressing on the salad when tossing it with veggies and cheese. If I’m going to serve it right away, I’ll drizzle more on top after serving. If I’m waiting to serve it later in the day or the next day, I toss it again with more dressing before serving and serve the remaining dressing on the side.
- When preparing the dressing, I start with 1/3 cup vinegar. If the dressing seems a little heavy, add a few more tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar to the dressing and toss to combine. You can also dilute the dressing with a little cold water.