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Greek Pasta Salad

Greek pasta salad with penne or rotini tossed in a bright lemon-oregano dressing and loaded with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, feta, and Kalamata olives. Chilled for 2 hours so the pasta absorbs the flavors and stays tender with a fresh, crunchy bite.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta base
  • 1 lb penne or rotini pasta Use regular pasta for best texture.
Greek salad vegetables
  • 2 cup cherry tomatoes Halve for even bites.
  • 1 large cucumber Dice into bite-size pieces.
  • 1 cup Kalamata olives Pit and halve.
  • 0.5 cup red onion Thinly slice.
Feta and dressing
  • 8 oz feta cheese Crumbled; reserve some for topping.
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 clove garlic Minced.
  • 1 tbsp fresh oregano (or dried oregano) Use 1 tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried.
  • salt To taste.
  • 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. Rinse with cold water until cool to help keep the pasta from clumping.
Make the lemon-oregano dressing
  1. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper until combined. Continue whisking until the mixture looks uniform and glossy.
Assemble the Greek pasta salad
  1. Combine the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, Kalamata olives, thinly sliced red onion, and most of the crumbled feta in a large bowl. Toss to distribute the ingredients evenly.
Dress and chill
  1. Pour the lemon-oregano dressing over the salad and toss gently until the pasta is lightly coated. Visual cue: you should see dressing pooling lightly on the pasta and vegetables.
  2. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to chill and let the pasta absorb the flavors. Cover the bowl to prevent the salad from drying out.
Finish and serve
  1. Top the chilled salad with the remaining feta before serving. Serve cold for the cleanest feta-and-vegetable contrast.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water so it stays firm and doesn’t turn gummy during chilling. Store in the refrigerator for 3–4 days in a covered container; it’s not recommended to freeze because feta and vegetables may become watery. For a dairy-light option, use a reduced-fat feta or a feta-style plant-based crumble.