FABULOUS Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
Make this fabulous Greek Pasta Salad ahead of time and refrigerate up to 24 hours for delicious flavor. An excellent potluck or party dish!
Friends, I want to share a little something that has made my life better. It may sound small, but it’s worth telling you about.
But first, I love this Greek Pasta Salad recipe for any gathering, because it’s so good, and everyone loves it! Oh, and if you’re wanting to make a “Greek-themed” board, check out my Epic Greek Charcuterie Board.
Fabulous Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
The best moments in life, are when you are with the people you love, and enjoying a delicious meal together.
So good, served with this BEST Pistachio Lime Baked Salmon! This salmon recipe pairs well with this salad, and it’s my “go-to” salmon recipe!
Ingredients for Greek Pasta Salad
All you need are these simple ingredients:
- Dry penne or rotini pasta (I use DeLallo)
- Cherry tomatoes + cucumber + red pepper + red onion
- Kalamata olives
- Pepperoncinis
- Good quality feta cheese
- Fresh basi
- Coarse ground black pepper
Want to make a yummy Italian dressing?
Here are the ingredients:
- Red wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- Dried oregano
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh basil
- Feshly squeezed lemon juice
- Garlic
- Pinch of sugar (the secret ingredient – HA)
Greek Pasta Salad Recipe – dinner party!
This Greek Pasta Salad recipe is my friend Laurel’s recipe. I call her the “salad queen.” She makes the best salads!
Play with the ingredients and adjust according to preference:
- Fresh herbs always makes this salad the best!
- Change up the pasta to your favorite size.
- Always use a “good quality” feta cheese.
- It’s even better in the summer (with fresh garden tomatoes).
We enjoyed this salad with salmon, hot crunchy bread, and a glass of wine.
Oh, and with our husbands, and with mutual friends we share who live up in Portland.
A quaint little dinner party for 6!
RE thoughts on slowing down
So often my days are full of schedules, to-do lists, and errands, and I really want to slow down.
One thing I’ve started doing for awhile now, is when I go to the grocery store, I find a person who looks like they could use my help. For the introvert, you’re already saying, no way! But truly, it’s not that hard. (I am an extrovert, by the way, so I know this may be easier for me.)
Can I help you with that? Or, can I carry that for you? Or, can I help you find something?
Here’s what I’ve learned about myself with this tiny, bitty, act of kindness.
- Even when I’m in a hurry, it makes me slow down.
- It makes me think of others more than myself.
- I’m actually helping someone.
- Better yet, when you strike up conversation, it gives you room to get to know the other person, even for a few minutes.
Guess what? I was in Fred Meyer yesterday, and I ran into a lady that I had helped the previous week. We were both surprised to see each other. Really cute, we striked up a conversation and it was like we were long-lost friends.
So … to sum it up. I need help in slowing down. I start my day with praying for this, and I’m getting better at “listening.”
And then doing it. Looking for an opportunity.
More “Greek” recipes:
Easy Greek Chicken Kebab Recipe [FoodieCrush]
Greek Zucchini Salad [Fifteen Spatulas]
Best Greek Style Chicken Drumsticks
Get the Recipe:
Greek Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 oz dry penne or rotini pasta, I use DeLallo
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 English cucumber, diced, seeded (peeled or unpeeled)
- ½ red pepper, finely chopped
- 2 cups pitted Kalamata olives, drained
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 1 cup pepperoncinis, chopped
- 8 oz good quality feta cheese, crumbled
- Fresh basil, chopped
- Coarse ground black pepper
For the dressing:
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp. fresh basil, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
- Pinch of sugar
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions (usually 1 minute less is perfect). Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water, and drain again; set aside.
- In a large bowl, add tomatoes, cucumber, olives, onions, pepperoncinis, feta cheese, and fresh basil. Gently toss together and add the pasta.
- For the dressing, place the red wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper, fresh basil, lemon juice, garlic, and sugar in a jar with lid; shake well to mix.
- Drizzle dressing over the salad; gently toss to coat. If you need to, add more olive oil. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 2-3 hours or overnight for the best flavor.
- When ready to serve, toss the pasta salad again, garnish with fresh pepper and basil, and enjoy cold or at room temperature.
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
I can’t wait to try this one- looks delicious!!
I love helping people out whenever I see someone who looks like they may need assistance! I am a “people person” and I could strike up a conversation with a complete stranger! Bringing a smile to someone’s face is such a great feeling!
That looks delicious! I love those Greek peperoncinis and am always looking for ways to use them! Thanks for the shout-out for my recipe too!
Thank you for posting this recipe. I can’t wait to try it along with the salmon! I love your blog! I have used many recipes and there has not been one that we did not like! It has really broadened my base of recipes –especially those that I can serve to friends.
Thanks for sharing, Susan. So glad you are enjoying all the recipes and sharing them with others!
So good Sandy. I agree, slowing down isn’t easy. I’m usually trying to get in and out of places quickly. When I started working for an elderly lady, going to the grocery store became an hour long endeavor sometimes…I learned the art of slowing down because I had to go at her pace. We joke and I say “I notice a lot more things on the shelves now”. I don’t want to race through life always in a hurry to get to a destination. I want to be willing to take my time and “stop and smell the roses” or enjoy the view or chat with someone. I love the opportunities in the store when someone asks for my help (usually reaching something off a top shelf” :)
Thanks so much for sharing this Kirstin! Those grocery store moments are priceless! :)
I love this. I am not an extrovert so this type of thing is harder for me, but I have found even if I start with a smile and a kind word the bigger acts get easier throughout the day. And it does make you slow down, which I am desperately trying to do do these days. This salad looks amazing! thanks for sharing