30-Minute Olive Pasta Salad

If you ask me, pasta salad gets a bad reputation from those sad, mayo-heavy versions at potlucks.

This Mediterranean-inspired dish is nothing like that. It starts with a creamy tahini dressing brightened up with lemon juice and red wine vinegar that coats every piece of pasta perfectly.

Briny olives and tangy feta give it serious flavor, while bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and chickpeas add substance. Fresh herbs, toasted pine nuts, and a sprinkle of chili flakes bring everything together.

It’s a filling side dish that works just as well for a backyard barbecue as it does for meal prep lunches all week long.

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What Kind of Olives Should I Use?

For this pasta salad, mixed Greek olives are your best bet since they bring a variety of flavors and textures to the dish. You can usually find pre-mixed Greek olive blends at the grocery store that include Kalamata, green olives, and sometimes even stuffed varieties. If you can’t find a mix, just grab a combination of whatever looks good – Kalamata olives are always a solid choice for their rich, fruity flavor. Make sure to get pitted olives to save yourself time, or if you buy them with pits, just remember to remove them before tossing everything together. Feel free to adjust the amount based on how much you love olives – some people like to go heavy while others prefer just a hint of that briny flavor.

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Options for Substitutions

This pasta salad is really forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Tahini or mayo: Either one works great in the dressing. If you don’t have tahini, stick with mayo. You could also try Greek yogurt for a lighter option, though it’ll give you a tangier taste.
• Pine nuts: These can get pricey, so feel free to use chopped walnuts, slivered almonds, or sunflower seeds instead. Toast them lightly for the best flavor.
• Mixed Greek olives: Use whatever olives you like – kalamata, green olives, or even canned black olives work fine. Just make sure they’re pitted to save yourself some hassle.
• Fresh herbs: Don’t stress if you only have one or two herbs on hand. Basil alone is perfectly fine, or you can use whatever combination you have. In a pinch, 2 teaspoons of dried Italian seasoning can work too.
• Feta cheese: Not a feta fan? Try crumbled goat cheese, cubed mozzarella, or shaved parmesan instead.
• Short cut pasta: Any short pasta shape works – rotini, penne, farfalle, or fusilli all hold the dressing nicely.
• Chickpeas: You can swap these with white beans or leave them out if you’re not into legumes.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with pasta salad is adding the dressing while the pasta is still piping hot, which causes it to absorb too much liquid and leaves your salad dry later – let the pasta cool for about 10 minutes first, then toss with the dressing so it coats everything nicely.

Another common error is overcooking the pasta, but since this salad sits for a while, you want your pasta just barely al dente so it doesn’t turn mushy as it absorbs the dressing.

Don’t skip the step of heating the oil before pouring it over the shallots and herbs, as this quick infusion brings out their flavors and mellows the raw bite of the shallots.

Finally, if you’re making this ahead, hold back about half the feta and some fresh herbs to add right before serving, which keeps the salad looking fresh and prevents the cheese from getting too soft.

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What to Serve With Olive Pasta Salad?

This pasta salad is pretty filling on its own, but it’s perfect alongside grilled chicken, lamb kebabs, or even some simple grilled shrimp for a complete meal. I love serving it at cookouts with burgers or hot dogs since it’s a nice change from the usual mayo-heavy sides. If you’re keeping things vegetarian, pair it with some warm pita bread and hummus, or add a platter of grilled vegetables like zucchini and eggplant. This salad also works great as part of a Mediterranean spread with spanakopita, dolmas, and some marinated artichoke hearts on the side.

Storage Instructions

Store: This pasta salad actually gets better after sitting for a few hours as the flavors meld together. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You might need to add a drizzle of olive oil before serving since the pasta tends to soak up the dressing over time.

Make Ahead: I love making this a day in advance for parties or meal prep. Just hold off on adding the feta and fresh herbs until right before serving so they stay fresh and don’t get soggy. Give it a good stir and taste for seasoning before serving, as cold temperatures can dull the flavors a bit.

Serve: This salad is best served cold or at room temperature. If you’ve had it in the fridge, let it sit out for about 15-20 minutes before serving to take the chill off. The flavors really come alive when it’s not ice cold!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2100-2300
• Protein: 55-65 g
• Fat: 130-150 g
• Carbohydrates: 175-195 g

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup high-quality extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons creamy tahini
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

For the salad:

• 1 lb dried rotini or fusilli pasta
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced into half-moons
• 3/4 cup fresh herbs (parsley, basil, and mint)
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 3/4 cup mixed kalamata and green olives, pitted and halved
• 2 bell peppers, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup sliced pepperoncini
• 8 oz feta cheese, crumbled from a block

Step 1: Prepare the Dressing Base

• 1/3 cup high-quality extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons creamy tahini
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

In a jar or bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, tahini, Dijon mustard, honey, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper.

Whisk until the tahini is fully incorporated and the dressing is smooth and emulsified.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Set aside while you prepare the other components—this allows the flavors to meld beautifully.

Step 2: Toast the Pine Nuts and Bloom the Aromatics

• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced into half-moons
• 3/4 cup fresh herbs
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan frequently until fragrant and lightly golden.

Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until it’s shimmering and just beginning to sizzle.

Add the thinly sliced shallots and cook for 1-2 minutes just until fragrant—we want them softened but still with some texture and bite.

Pour the warm oil and shallots directly over the pine nuts in the bowl, then add the fresh herbs and red chili flakes.

The warmth will gently soften the herbs and infuse them with the shallot flavor.

Step 3: Cook the Pasta and Prepare While It’s Hot

• 1 lb dried rotini or fusilli pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the rotini or fusilli according to package directions until al dente.

Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water before draining, then add the hot drained pasta directly to the bowl with the shallot-herb mixture from Step 2.

The pasta’s residual heat will finish softening the herbs and allow the oil to coat each piece beautifully.

I like to toss the warm pasta with the aromatics immediately so it absorbs all those flavors while still hot.

Step 4: Build the Salad with Fresh and Brined Elements

• 3/4 cup mixed kalamata and green olives, pitted and halved
• 2 bell peppers, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup sliced pepperoncini

Add the diced bell peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, pitted and halved olives, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed chickpeas, and sliced pepperoncini to the pasta mixture.

Fold gently to combine all components, being careful not to break the pasta or crush the delicate tomatoes.

The combination of fresh vegetables, brined elements, and chickpeas creates wonderful textural variety and layered flavors throughout each bite.

Step 5: Dress and Finish the Salad

• dressing from Step 1
• 8 oz feta cheese, crumbled from a block

Pour the dressing from Step 1 over the salad and toss thoroughly until every component is evenly coated.

Add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if needed to loosen the dressing and help it coat the pasta.

Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese just before serving—I prefer to add it at the last moment so it maintains its texture and doesn’t break down too much from the warm pasta.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as desired.

Step 6: Serve and Enjoy

Serve the pasta salad warm, at room temperature, or chilled, depending on your preference.

It’s excellent served immediately while the pasta is still slightly warm and the flavors are vibrant, but it also holds beautifully for a few hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to a day.

30-Minute Olive Pasta Salad

Delicious 30-Minute Olive Pasta Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 2200 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the dressing

• 1/3 cup high-quality extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons creamy tahini
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

For the salad

• 1 lb dried rotini or fusilli pasta
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced into half-moons
• 3/4 cup fresh herbs (parsley, basil, and mint)
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 3/4 cup mixed kalamata and green olives, pitted and halved
• 2 bell peppers, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup sliced pepperoncini
• 8 oz feta cheese, crumbled from a block

Instructions

 

• In a jar or bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, tahini, Dijon mustard, honey, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper. Whisk until the tahini is fully incorporated and the dressing is smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Set aside while you prepare the other components—this allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
• In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan frequently until fragrant and lightly golden. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until it's shimmering and just beginning to sizzle. Add the thinly sliced shallots and cook for 1-2 minutes just until fragrant—we want them softened but still with some texture and bite. Pour the warm oil and shallots directly over the pine nuts in the bowl, then add the fresh herbs and red chili flakes. The warmth will gently soften the herbs and infuse them with the shallot flavor.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the rotini or fusilli according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water before draining, then add the hot drained pasta directly to the bowl with the shallot-herb mixture from Step 2. The pasta's residual heat will finish softening the herbs and allow the oil to coat each piece beautifully. I like to toss the warm pasta with the aromatics immediately so it absorbs all those flavors while still hot.
• Add the diced bell peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, pitted and halved olives, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed chickpeas, and sliced pepperoncini to the pasta mixture. Fold gently to combine all components, being careful not to break the pasta or crush the delicate tomatoes. The combination of fresh vegetables, brined elements, and chickpeas creates wonderful textural variety and layered flavors throughout each bite.
• Pour the dressing from Step 1 over the salad and toss thoroughly until every component is evenly coated. Add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if needed to loosen the dressing and help it coat the pasta. Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese just before serving—I prefer to add it at the last moment so it maintains its texture and doesn't break down too much from the warm pasta. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as desired.
• Serve the pasta salad warm, at room temperature, or chilled, depending on your preference. It's excellent served immediately while the pasta is still slightly warm and the flavors are vibrant, but it also holds beautifully for a few hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to a day.