Greek Pasta Salad Olives Feta (Printable)

Mediterranean pasta with olives, feta, fresh vegetables, and zesty dressing, ideal for light and refreshing meals.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 8 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or farfalle)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Olives & Cheese

06 - 2/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
07 - 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

→ Dressing

08 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Fresh Herbs

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until cooled completely.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, cucumber, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives, and crumbled feta cheese.
04 - Pour dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before serving to allow flavors to develop and meld.
06 - Serve chilled or at room temperature according to preference.

# Top Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you've been cooking all day.
  • The flavors actually get better after sitting in the fridge, making it the perfect make-ahead dish for when guests are coming.
  • It works equally well as a standalone lunch, a side at a barbecue, or a base for grilled chicken or chickpeas if you need more protein.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta after cooking is non-negotiable here because warm pasta starch makes the salad gluey, but make sure to dry it afterward so it doesn't dilute the dressing.
  • Add the parsley at the end, not mixed in—it oxidizes and turns dark and bitter if it sits in the acidic dressing for more than a few minutes.
  • Don't skip the chilling time because this salad tastes exponentially better after the flavors have had time to meld, almost like a completely different dish.
03 -
  • Pat the drained pasta completely dry before dressing it, or use a salad spinner—wet pasta dilutes the dressing and makes the salad taste flat and starchy.
  • Pit your own olives if you can stomach it because pre-pitted ones lose some of their brine, and that brine is where half the flavor lives.
  • Make the dressing while the pasta cooks so it's ready the moment everything else is, and always taste it before combining because you're the only one who knows how much salt to use.
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