Greek Pasta Salad
Fresh and light Greek pasta salad loaded with sweet cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, tender artichoke hearts, herbs, and chickpeas. All tossed with a quick lemon vinaigrette, this Greek pasta salad recipe is perfect for an easy summer dinner or lunch on the go.
Ingredients in Greek Pasta Salad
Short cut pasta: For this Greek pasta salad recipe, youāll want to choose a short cut shape such as rotini (pictured), farfalle, penne, or campanelle. The more twists and crevices it has, the better it will soak up the dressing and flavor of the salad.
Cucumber: Choose one of the long Persian varieties. If the skin is too tough, you can use a vegetable peeler to remove it before slicing the cucumber into thin bite-sized pieces. Mini cucumbers will work, too.
Cherry tomatoes: For a little tang and sweetness, ripe cherry tomatoes are a key part of this Greek pasta salad.
Red onion: Make sure to finely dice the red onion before adding it to the salad, so it doesnāt overpower the other ingredients.
Artichoke hearts: Preparing fresh artichoke hearts is a whole lot of work, so this recipe calls for the canned, water-packed variety.
Kalamata olives: If youāre not a fan of olives, these can be omitted, but chopped pitted kalamata olives add another salty layer of flavor to the salad.
Dill, oregano, and parsley: Fresh herbs really take this Greek pasta salad to the next level. Dried oregano is ok, but the dill and parsley must be fresh.
Chickpeas: For a little protein and texture, canned chickpeas are the perfect addition to help balance everything out. Make sure you drain and rinse the chickpeas before adding.
Feta: Optional, but delicious sprinkled on top to serve.
How to Make This Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
- Step 1: Make the vinaigrette: Start by whisking up the ingredients for the lemon vinaigrette. Lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, minced garlic, and a bit of honey and black pepper. Set the dressing aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Step 2: Chop the veggies: Use a sharp knife to slice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the red onion, and chop up the artichoke hearts. Mince the fresh herbs and pit the olives if not already done for you. You can also drain and rinse a can of chickpeas.
- Step 3: Cook the Pasta: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and cook your pasta shape of choice according to the package directions. You want the water to be heavily salted (think like the sea), this is going to really bring out the flavor of the other ingredients in this Greek pasta salad recipe. Once the pasta is tender, drain and run under cool water to prevent it from getting mushy. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil so it doesn't clump if you plan on letting it sit.
- Step 4: Toss and Serve: Once all the ingredients are ready to go, toss them together in a large bowl. Serve right away or store in the fridge for up to four days in an airtight container.
Full recipe instructions in the recipe card below.
How Long Does Greek Pasta Salad Keep?
One great thing about pasta salad is how well it keeps in the fridge. We even recommend letting it sit for a few hours, up to overnight, for the flavors to really meld together. Especially if you are sensitive to red onion, the acid in the dressing will begin to break it down over time, leading to a milder flavor. When sealed in an airtight container, this Greek pasta salad will keep for up to four days. So bring it along on a picnic or pack it in a work/school lunch for an easy make-ahead meal that the whole family will love!
More Greek Inspired Recipes to Try:
Greek Pasta Salad
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Ingredients
- 16 ounces short cut pasta, dry (gluten-free, if needed)
- 15 ounce can water packed artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 Ā½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- Ā½ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
- 1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced (sub 2 mini cucumbers)
- Ā½ red onion, finely chopped
- 1 small bunch EACH: parsley and dill, chopped (about Ā½ cup each)
- Optional, feta cheese to serve
The VinaigretteĀ
- ā cup olive oil
- Ā¼ cup red wine vinegar
- Juice from 1 lemon, about 3 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, sub 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- To make the vinaigrette, whisk all ingredients together and set it aside until ready to use.ā cup olive oil, Ā¼ cup red wine vinegar, Juice from 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons honey, 2 cloves garlic, Freshly ground black pepper
- Cook the pasta in heavily salted water according to the package directions. Strain, and run under cold water until the pasta has cooled completely. Toss with olive oil to prevent clumping.16 ounces short cut pasta
- In a large mixing bowl, add the pasta along with the remaining ingredients (except the feta) and toss to combine. Serve immediately with crumbled feta over the top or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.15 ounce can water packed artichoke hearts, 15 ounce can chickpeas, 1 Ā½ cups cherry tomatoes, Ā½ cup pitted kalamata olives, 1 Persian cucumber, Ā½ red onion, 1 small bunch EACH: parsley and dill, Optional
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This salad is so delicious! I used a whole grain penne and it made a huge amount! 6 people barely made a dent. The fresh herbs are mandatory. Ā Itās a keeper!
This pasta was fantastic! I served it with some Greek chicken and the flavors went together really well.