Greek Pasta Salad

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This easy Greek pasta salad recipe is made with bowtie pasta, fresh tomatoes, cucumber, and bell pepper – all enhanced with salty olives, tangy feta cheese, and a homemade Greek salad dressing.

Greek Pasta Salad Recipe

I love this greek salad pasta recipe because it can be served as a side dish or a quick lunch idea. This recipe will make a big batch so be sure to use a large serving bowl.

This will also make a great meal prep lunch idea. You can store it in mason jars for individual serving portions.

Greek pasta salad couldn’t be easier to prepare. First cook the pasta, then mix it with chopped tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and crumbled feta.

Drizzle with a homemade Greek salad dressing and let it chill for 1-2 hours before serving. This step is crucial as that’s when the vegetables will soak up all the delicious flavor from the salad dressing.

Recipe Ingredients

• 16 oz uncooked farfalle pasta – this is the bowtie pasta shape
• 2 cups grape tomatoes – sliced in half
• 1 ½ cups English cucumber – sliced thick into rounds, then quartered
• 1 large green bell pepper – diced about 1 ½ cups
• ⅔ cup feta cheese – crumbled
• ½ cup diced red onion
• ¼ cup sliced Kalamata olives – drained
• ¼ cup sliced black olives – drained
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup Greek salad dressing – see below

Greek Salad Dressing

• ⅔ cups extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

How To Make Greek Pasta Salad

Full ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.

STEP 1: Cook 16 oz of farfalle pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package instructions. Cook al dente. Add to a strainer and rinse under cold water. Add to a large serving bowl.

STEP 2: Wash, chop and add the following ingredients to the large serving bowl: 2 cups grape tomatoes, 1½ cups English cucumber, 1 large green bell pepper, ½ cup diced red onion, ¼ cup sliced Kalamata olives, ¼ cup sliced black olives, and ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley.

STEP 3: Combine Greek salad dressing ingredients in a mason jar or bowl: ⅔ cups extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, ½ Tbsp dijon mustard, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp dried basil, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper. Seal the mason jar with a lid and shake to mix ingredients.

STEP 4: Toss everything together then pour 1 cup Greek salad dressing or your desired amount on top.

STEP 5: Sprinkle on ⅔ cup crumbled feta cheese. Gently toss the salad ingredients together. Place covered in the fridge to chill for 1-2 hours. Then gently stir just before serving. Serve cold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can it stay out on the counter for a couple of hours? Yes this pasta recipe can be left out at room temperature for a few hours. This is good to know if you’re bringing it to a picnic, potluck or church gathering. It can also be a great lunch idea to bring to work!

Why is my pasta salad watery? Overtime the vegetables will begin to release excess water into the salad. This can contribute to a watery pasta salad. This salad tastes best when it’s served the day you make it!

How do you keep pasta salad from getting soggy? 1. Cook the pasta til al dente. Firm, but tender enough to chew. If you cook it too long, the pasta will be soggy and fall apart as you mix the ingredients. 2. Remove the pulp and seeds from the tomatoes. I didn’t do this with grape tomatoes, but I definitely would if using regular-sized ones like Roma tomatoes. 3. The longer the salad is stored in the fridge, (day 2-3) the soggier it gets because the vegetables release their liquid into the salad over time.

How To Store Leftovers

This salad can be refrigerated for 3-4 days. Store it in an airtight container or a bowl covered with plastic wrap.

The longer you store the salad, the more the vegetables will lose their crispiness and become a bit soggy. It definitely tastes best served the same day that you make it.

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