Go Back

Greek Pasta Salad with Feta Cheese

Greek pasta salad with feta cheese featuring penne or rotini tossed in a zesty Greek dressing. Chilled for 1 hour so cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and red onion stay crisp with feta crumbles in every bite.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

pasta
  • 1 lb penne or rotini pasta
produce
  • 2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 large cucumber, diced
  • 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • 0.5 cup red onion, thinly sliced
cheese and dressing
  • 8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
seasoning
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook penne or rotini pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. The pasta should be tender but not mushy with a springy texture.
Make the Greek dressing
  1. Whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until evenly combined. The dressing should look glossy and smell sharply herby.
Toss the salad
  1. Combine pasta, cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, halved Kalamata olives, and thinly sliced red onion in a large bowl. Keep the mix visible so you can see the red tomatoes, green cucumbers, and black olives.
  2. Add most of the crumbled feta and pour the dressing over the salad. Toss gently just until everything is coated without breaking the pasta.
Chill and finish
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour, covered, to let flavors meld. The surface should look fresh and lightly glossy after chilling.
  2. Top with the remaining feta before serving. Sprinkle so the feta stays white and distinct against the red tomatoes and green cucumber.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta with cold water and let it drain well so the salad doesn’t turn watery after chilling. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; the texture softens slightly over time. Freezing is not recommended. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat feta and reduce olive oil to 2 tablespoons.