Greek Pasta Salad

Enjoy this delicious and easy Greek pasta salad recipe, made with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and pasta, and a simple olive oil lemon dressing. This tasty dish is guaranteed to be a hit at your next cookout or potluck!

I love creamy pasta salads like Hawaiian macaroni salad and macaroni tuna salad, but sometimes I crave a lighter version. This Greek pasta salad is mayo-less but still delicious and satisfying. It’s super easy to put together and makes the best side dish or main course.

Ingredient Notes

• Pasta – I used Gemelli pasta but any short-shaped pasta such as penne, shells, or rotini pasta will work. Make sure to cook it until it’s al-dente.
• Olive Oil – Use a good quality olive oil for best results.
• Feta Cheese – If you’re not a fan of feta cheese you can use goat cheese or fresh mozzarella instead.
• Olives – Kalamata olives are best for a more authentic version but feta stuffed olives are great too.
• Onions – I recommend using thinly sliced red onions but Vidalia onions or yellow onions will also work.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and allow it to cool completely.
2. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, grated garlic, oregano, parsley, and lemon juice. Mix until well combined and season with salt and pepper.
3. Transfer the cooled pasta and remaining ingredients into a large bowl. Toss with the olive oil mixture and season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Top Tips and Substitutions

• If you want to make this Greek Pasta Salad for your vegan friends, leave out the Feta cheese.
• If you’re not a fan of tangy dressings, add a pinch of sugar or honey to the dressing to sweeten things up. 
• Feel free to include hard-boiled eggs, spicy peppers, or bacon.
• Don’t have olive oil? Use any type of oil you have on hand.
• Season generously with lots of salt and pepper for best results.
• I prefer to serve this Greek pasta salad chilled or at room temperature, but if you’re in a rush, you can serve it hot.
• Don’t have lemons? Use red wine vinegar instead.
• If you don’t have garlic cloves use 1 tsp of granulated garlic.

What Can I Serve This With?

I love serving this salad with Oven-Baked BBQ Chicken, Chicken Meatballs, or Southern Fried Shrimp.

Storage

This Greek pasta salad will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days, which makes this an ideal dish to prepare in advance.

More Pasta Salad Recipes You Might Enjoy

• Seafood Pasta Salad
• Macaroni Chicken Salad
• Deviled Egg Pasta Salad

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