Greek Pasta Salad Recipe [Made 2 Ways!]

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This Greek pasta salad recipe is simply divine and perfect as a side dish or main meal! And I’ll show you 2 amazing ways to make it. One has stronger flavors for adults, and one has softer flavors that kids can enjoy.

Served hot or cold, pasta is a great addition to the dinner table. And if you have any vegans or vegetarians in the house, this is a perfectly versatile dish for them as well as meat-eaters. Serve as-is for vegans and vegetarians, and mix in some cooked, chopped chicken or other meat for meat-eaters. It’s a great way to make everyone happy!

Greek pasta salad in a stainless steel mixing bowl.

What Is Greek Pasta Salad?

Greek pasta salad is typically served cold or at room temperature. It has olives, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, vinegar, and seasonings that are commonly found in Greek cuisine. It tastes like Tuscany in a bowl!

FAQ’s

What Goes With Greek Pasta Salad?

An easier question would be, what DOESN’T go with pasta salad! Truly, just about anything will pair nicely with a pasta salad, whether you are vegan or not. This particular salad will work with most non-vegan dishes for sharing, and for the vegan diet, it tastes great with other veggies, bread, crackers, salads, and even some fruits! It also goes amazingly well with a little hummus and veggies or hummus and crackers.

Can You Make Pasta Salad Ahead Of Time?

Absolutely! Pasta is a great dish to make ahead of time. Make it a day or so in advance (no more than 2 days in advance) and it will keep for another 1-3 days in the fridge if you have leftovers.

How Long Will Pasta Salad Keep In The Refrigerator?

If it’s packed correctly, pasta salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To pack it correctly, simply make sure it’s in a food-safe container that has an air-tight lid. Plastic wrap works too, but not as well if this will be in the fridge for the full 5 days. Do not use aluminum foil. It doesn’t keep the air out as well and your salad will spoil faster.

Greek pasta salad with kalamata olives and dried tomatoes in a white bowl.

Make Greek Pasta 2 Ways

This dish can be made in two different ways.

Stronger flavors – Use Kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes.
Softer flavors – Use black olives and fresh tomatoes.

Vegan Greek Pasta Salad

Most Greek pasta salads will have feta cheese in them. You can certainly add as much of it as you like here. But if you are serving this to vegans or those with dairy allergies, you’ll want to leave that out. I promise it’s still super tasty. I make it that way all the time.

That said, I wouldn’t share this dish with vegan feta in it. Most non-vegan people can spot the difference in cheese immediately because vegan cheese has a very different flavor than dairy-based cheese. So unless you know they like it, I would just leave it out.

Gluten-Free Greek Pasta Salad

This is an easy dish to make gluten-free. Simply substitute the pasta for one you can have! Also, make sure you use balsamic vinegar that is gluten-free. While it should technically be naturally gluten-free, there is a small risk of cross-contamination from the casks. While the risk is quite low, it’s worth considering is you are very sensitive or very allergic.

Creamy Greek Pasta Salad

If you prefer your pasta salad a little more creamy, you can simply stir some mayo into this. Either regular or vegan mayo will work here. It’s delicious, and again, nobody will know the difference if you are sharing. And if you want to make your own mayo in seconds, here’s how to do that. You can also mix a little mayo into any vinaigrette you make for a creamy vinaigrette.

An overhead view looking down into a glass mixing bowl filled with greek pasta salad.

What Pasta To Use:

In case you are wondering, I used Banza pasta (chickpea flour pasta) here. But any pasta will work.

Good choices for a salad like this are:

Rotini pasta
Orzo pasta
Penne pasta
Cavatappi pasta
Elbow pasta
Macaroni pasta
Bowtie pasta

Optional Additions

This Greek pasta salad recipe has very simple, yet decently strong Greek flavors from the Kalamata olives and artichoke hearts. However, if the flavor isn’t strong enough for you, you can either add a splash of balsamic vinegar, or you can add more of any of the additions such as the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, or garlic powder. Use the measurements as a jumping-off point and add more to your liking. And if you want to round out the salad even further, here are more additions to try.

Cucumbers
Red onions
Cherry tomatoes
Bell peppers
Fresh basil
Fresh parsley
Other fresh herbs
Grilled chicken – chopped or shredded
Chopped salami
Feta cheese
Lemon juice

And up close view of a glass bowl holding just-made Greek Pasta Salad.

About The Ingredients

½ lb. dry pasta – cooked to package directions. You can use regular or gluten-free pasta. Use whatever your favorite pasta is. It will work here.

½ cup chopped Kalamata olives – If they are too strong of a flavor for you, you can use regular black olives instead.

¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes – drained if packed in oil – I used dry-packed. You can substitute these with grape or cherry tomatoes if you prefer them fresh.

¾ cup chopped canned artichoke hearts – marinated – no sugar added. I purchase the canned variety.

¼ cup oil – anything light in flavor. Olive oil is a great choice.

¼ cup balsamic vinegar – You can get creative with different flavored vinegars. But basic balsamic works best.

½ tsp. garlic powder – Garlic granules work too.

1 tsp. dried oregano – Or 1 tbsp. fresh, chopped.

¼ cup chopped, fresh, Italian parsley (flat-leaf) – optional

How To Make Greek Pasta Salad

Cooked cavatappi pasta in a mixing bowl.

In a large pot, boil the pasta to package directions in salted water. When done, drain and rinse with cold water to cool your pasta. Transfer to a large bowl.

Tossing the Greek Pasta Salad with wooden spoons.

Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss to combine.

Pouring oil over the pasta salad contents of a mixing bowl.

Adjust salt and any seasonings to your liking and serve.

How To Serve This Greek Pasta Salad

You can serve this as a main meal for lunch, dinner, or even a picnic! Or serve it as a side dish to a protein-based main course.

How To Store Greek Pasta Salad

Store this in airtight containers and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Do not freeze. A large, glass jar or other glass container is good for storage.

Optional Dressing

If you like a good dressing that fills all the nooks and crannies of your pasta, you can easily add dressing to this by tossing it in with all the other ingredients, or you can simply drizzle some over individual servings. What are some options?

Red wine vinegar – the simplest, but still quite good.
Vinaigrette – Pretty much any type will work. Use your favorite!
Greek salad dressing – Make your own or find a good one at the store.
Oil and balsamic vinegar

My favorite vinaigrette recipes are:

More Healthy Pasta Salad Recipes

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