Mouthwatering Greek Pasta Salad With Lemon Dressing

If you ask me, a good pasta salad is one of the best things about summer.

This Greek-inspired dish brings together tender rotini with crisp cucumber, juicy tomatoes, and briny kalamata olives. The lemon dressing is bright and tangy, with mustard and oregano giving it that classic Mediterranean flavor.

Creamy feta cheese and fresh parsley get tossed in at the end, while red onion adds a little bite. The whole thing comes together in about 20 minutes and tastes even better after it sits in the fridge for a while.

It’s perfect for potlucks, picnics, or just an easy weeknight dinner when you don’t want to turn on the oven.

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What Kind of Pasta Should I Use?

For Greek pasta salad, you’ll want to pick a pasta shape that can hold onto that tangy lemon dressing and catch all those tasty bits of veggies and feta. Short pasta shapes like rotini, penne, or farfalle work great because their nooks and crannies grab the dressing really well. You can use regular white pasta, whole wheat for extra fiber, or even chickpea pasta if you’re looking for more protein. Just make sure to cook your pasta al dente (slightly firm) since it’ll continue to soften a bit as it sits in the dressing, and nobody wants mushy pasta salad.

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Options for Substitutions

This Greek pasta salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Pasta: Any short pasta works great here – try rotini, penne, or bowtie. You can even use whole wheat or chickpea pasta for a healthier twist. Just cook according to package directions and cool completely before mixing.
• English cucumber: Regular cucumbers work fine too. Just peel them and scoop out the seeds with a spoon before slicing, since they tend to be more watery than English cucumbers.
• Purple pearl onions: Red onion is an easy swap – just slice it thin. If you find raw onion too strong, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry before adding.
• Feta cheese: While feta gives that classic Greek flavor, you can use goat cheese for a creamier texture or skip the cheese entirely for a dairy-free version.
• Fresh parsley: Fresh dill or basil would be nice alternatives. In a pinch, use 1 tablespoon of dried parsley, though fresh really does taste better here.
• Dijon mustard: Regular yellow mustard or whole grain mustard both work. Just keep the same amount.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with pasta salad is adding the dressing while the pasta is still warm, which causes it to absorb too much liquid and leaves your salad dry – always let your cooked pasta cool completely before mixing in the dressing.

Another common error is under-seasoning, so taste your salad before serving and don’t be shy about adding extra lemon juice or salt to brighten up the flavors.

To keep your cucumber from making the salad watery, slice it and let it sit in a colander with a pinch of salt for about 10 minutes, then pat it dry with paper towels before adding it to the bowl.

For the best flavor, make this salad at least an hour before serving so the ingredients have time to mingle, and if you’re making it ahead, save some of the dressing to toss in right before serving since pasta tends to soak it up as it sits.

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What to Serve With Greek Pasta Salad?

Greek pasta salad is perfect as a side dish for grilled chicken, lamb kebabs, or any protein you’re throwing on the barbecue. It also pairs really well with grilled fish like salmon or shrimp skewers, since the lemon dressing complements seafood so nicely. If you’re keeping things vegetarian, serve it alongside some warm pita bread and hummus for a complete Mediterranean-style meal. This salad is filling enough on its own for lunch, but adding some grilled halloumi cheese or chickpeas on top makes it even more satisfying.

Storage Instructions

Store: This pasta salad actually gets better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours, as the flavors really meld together. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You might notice the pasta absorbs some of the dressing over time, so feel free to drizzle a bit more olive oil and lemon juice before serving if it looks dry.

Make Ahead: This is one of those perfect make-ahead dishes for parties or meal prep. You can prepare everything up to 2 days in advance, though I’d recommend adding the feta cheese and fresh parsley right before serving to keep them at their best. The salad is great served cold straight from the fridge.

Refresh: If your pasta salad needs a little pick-me-up after a day or two, just toss it with a splash of fresh lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Give it a good stir and let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving to bring back that fresh, zesty flavor.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 650-750
• Protein: 18-22 g
• Fat: 28-34 g
• Carbohydrates: 80-90 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 2 cups pasta (I always use Barilla rotini for the best texture)
• 1 cucumber (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 1/2 cups tomatoes (halved or quartered depending on size)
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 1/2 cup feta cheese (I prefer Athenos crumbles for this salad)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives

For the dressing:

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 lemon (zested and juiced for maximum brightness)
• 3 tbsp olive oil (I like Bertolli Extra Virgin for dressings)
• 1 1/2 tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic (freshly minced to give the dressing a punch)

Step 1: Cook the Pasta and Prepare Mise en Place

• 2 cups pasta
• 1 cucumber
• 1 1/2 cups tomatoes
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1 lemon
• 1 tsp garlic

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain and set aside to cool slightly.

While the pasta cooks, dice the cucumber into 1/2-inch pieces, halve or quarter the tomatoes depending on size, finely mince the red onion, chop the fresh parsley, zest and juice the lemon, and mince the garlic.

Having all ingredients prepped and ready ensures smooth assembly and allows flavors to develop properly when combined.

Step 2: Build the Lemon Dressing

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• lemon juice and zest from Step 1
• 1 1/2 tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tbsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• minced garlic from Step 1

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, mustard, dried oregano, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.

The whisking emulsifies the oil and lemon juice slightly while distributing the spices evenly.

I find that letting the dressing sit for just a minute allows the garlic to infuse its punch into the oil and lemon base, creating a more cohesive flavor profile.

Step 3: Combine and Dress the Salad

• cooked pasta from Step 1
• prepared vegetables from Step 1
• 1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives
• lemon dressing from Step 2

In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled pasta from Step 1 with the diced cucumber, halved tomatoes, minced red onion, kalamata olives, and fresh parsley.

Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the vegetables and pasta, then toss everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated and the flavors begin to meld.

The feta cheese should be added just before serving to prevent it from breaking down too much in the acidic dressing.

Step 4: Finish and Serve

• dressed salad from Step 3
• 1/2 cup feta cheese

Top the dressed salad with the feta cheese crumbles and gently toss once more to incorporate without crushing the cheese.

Serve immediately for the crispest vegetables and best texture, though the salad can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours if needed.

Mouthwatering Greek Pasta Salad With Lemon Dressing

Delicious Mouthwatering Greek Pasta Salad With Lemon Dressing recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 17 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 700 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the salad

• 2 cups pasta (I always use Barilla rotini for the best texture)
• 1 cucumber (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 1/2 cups tomatoes (halved or quartered depending on size)
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 1/2 cup feta cheese (I prefer Athenos crumbles for this salad)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives

For the dressing

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 lemon (zested and juiced for maximum brightness)
• 3 tbsp olive oil (I like Bertolli Extra Virgin for dressings)
• 1 1/2 tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic (freshly minced to give the dressing a punch)

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain and set aside to cool slightly. While the pasta cooks, dice the cucumber into 1/2-inch pieces, halve or quarter the tomatoes depending on size, finely mince the red onion, chop the fresh parsley, zest and juice the lemon, and mince the garlic. Having all ingredients prepped and ready ensures smooth assembly and allows flavors to develop properly when combined.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, mustard, dried oregano, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. The whisking emulsifies the oil and lemon juice slightly while distributing the spices evenly. I find that letting the dressing sit for just a minute allows the garlic to infuse its punch into the oil and lemon base, creating a more cohesive flavor profile.
• In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled pasta from Step 1 with the diced cucumber, halved tomatoes, minced red onion, kalamata olives, and fresh parsley. Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the vegetables and pasta, then toss everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated and the flavors begin to meld. The feta cheese should be added just before serving to prevent it from breaking down too much in the acidic dressing.
• Top the dressed salad with the feta cheese crumbles and gently toss once more to incorporate without crushing the cheese. Serve immediately for the crispest vegetables and best texture, though the salad can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours if needed.