Summer Pasta Salad Greek Style (Printable)

Fresh pasta with olives, feta, cucumber, and tomato, tossed in a tangy Mediterranean dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz short pasta such as penne, fusilli, or farfalle
02 - Salt for boiling pasta

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
04 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 small red onion, finely sliced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced

→ Greek Flavors

07 - 3.5 oz Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
08 - 4.25 oz feta cheese, crumbled
09 - 2 tbsp capers (optional)

→ Dressing

10 - 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
14 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
15 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Fresh Herbs

16 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
17 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente following package instructions. Drain using a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking; set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, finely sliced red onion, diced red bell pepper, Kalamata olives, and optional capers.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper until fully blended.
04 - Add cooled pasta to the vegetable mixture. Pour the dressing over all ingredients and toss gently until evenly coated.
05 - Fold in crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley, and optional fresh dill. Taste and adjust salt or pepper if preferred.
06 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to develop. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • This salad secretly gets better as it sits, making leftovers even more tempting the next day.
  • It’s a hands-off crowd-pleaser—throw it together in under half an hour with minimal fuss and maximum flavor.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the pasta, lingering heat will make the cheese go mushy—trust me, I learned the hard way.
  • Adding the dressing while the pasta’s still a bit warm helps every bite soak up flavor and keeps things from tasting flat.
03 -
  • Letting the salad sit just a bit before serving lets all the flavors settle into each other and transforms it from good to unforgettable.
  • Rubbing the dried oregano gently between your palms before adding it unlocks so much more aroma.
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