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Greek Tzatziki Pasta Salad

Greek tzatziki pasta salad with creamy yogurt sauce, diced cucumbers, tomatoes, and fresh dill for a cool Mediterranean pasta bowl. Penne or rotini gets rinsed after cooking, then tossed until every bite is coated in tzatziki-style dressing.
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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: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 1 lb penne or rotini pasta
Tzatziki base
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 cucumber divided; grate half and dice the rest
  • 2 clove garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped
Salad mix-ins
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 0.5 cup red onion diced
  • 0.5 cup Kalamata olives sliced
  • 4 oz feta cheese crumbled
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook the penne or rotini pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and cool it quickly.
Make the tzatziki
  1. Grate half the cucumber and squeeze out excess moisture so the yogurt sauce stays thick and not watery.
  2. Mix the grated cucumber with Greek yogurt, sour cream, minced garlic, lemon juice, chopped dill, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
Assemble the salad
  1. Combine the cooled pasta with the remaining diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, and sliced Kalamata olives in a large bowl.
  2. Add the tzatziki sauce and toss to coat the pasta evenly, then gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese.
Chill
  1. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 1 hour before serving so the flavors meld and the sauce clings to the pasta.

Notes

For the creamiest tzatziki, squeeze the grated cucumber very well before mixing it into the yogurt base. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; it can be frozen, but the cucumber texture may soften after thawing. For a lighter option, use all Greek yogurt (skip the sour cream) to reduce fat while keeping the same tangy flavor.