Greek Pasta Salad with Feta Cheese

Greek Pasta Salad with Feta Cheese

Greek pasta salad with feta cheese tossed with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, red onion, and a tangy Greek-style dressing. Penne or rotini gets rinsed cold so the salad stays tender and not sticky, then chills for at least 1 hour for best flavor.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

chilling 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Greek

Calories: 630

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

Pasta Salad Base

1 lb penne or rotini pasta Cook until al dente and rinse cold to cool quickly.
2 cup cherry tomatoes Halved for bite-size pieces.
1 large cucumber Diced evenly so each forkful has cucumber.
1 cup Kalamata olives Pitted and halved.
0.5 cup red onion Thinly sliced.
8 oz feta cheese Crumbled; reserve some for topping.

Greek Dressing

0.25 cup olive oil Use extra-virgin for classic flavor.
3 tbsp red wine vinegar Adds tang to match Greek-style salads.
1 tbsp lemon juice Freshens the dressing.
2 garlic Minced.
1 tsp dried oregano Dried herb flavor for the dressing.
0.5 salt and pepper To taste; keep seasoning balanced after chilling.

Equipment

1 sheet pan
1 Dutch oven

Method

Cook and rinse pasta

Bring a Dutch oven of salted water to a boil, then cook penne or rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente.
Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water until completely cooled, then drain well to remove excess water.

Make the Greek dressing

Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until the dressing looks evenly combined.

Toss and chill

Combine pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, Kalamata olives, red onion, and most of the feta in a large bowl.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is coated.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld and the pasta absorb the dressing.
Top with the remaining feta right before serving for a fresh, creamy finish.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water to stop cooking and prevent clumping, then drain well so the dressing doesn’t get diluted. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; the texture is best within the first 2 days. Freezing is not recommended because feta can become grainy after thawing. If you want a lighter option, use part-skim feta and reduce the olive oil slightly.