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Greek Pasta Salad With Feta - Bright, Fresh, and Easy

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • Pasta: 12 ounces short pasta (rotini, penne, farfalle, or fusilli)
  • Cherry or grape tomatoes: 2 cups, halved
  • Cucumber: 1 large English cucumber, diced (or 2 Persian cucumbers)
  • Red onion: 1/2 small, thinly sliced
  • Kalamata olives: 3/4 cup pitted, halved
  • Bell pepper: 1 medium (red, yellow, or orange), diced
  • Feta cheese: 6–8 ounces, crumbled or cut into small cubes
  • Fresh herbs: 1/4 cup chopped parsley (and/or dill or mint)
  • Optional add-ins: 1/4 cup capers, 1/2 cup chickpeas, 1/2 cup artichoke hearts
  • For the dressing:
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (plus more to taste)
  • 1–2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1–2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey (optional, to balance acidity)
  • 1/2–3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Method
 

  1. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente. You want it tender but still slightly firm.
  2. Rinse and cool: Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool it down. Shake off excess water well.
  3. Make the dressing: In a jar or bowl, whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon, oregano, garlic, honey (if using), salt, and pepper until emulsified.
  4. Prep the veg: Halve tomatoes, dice cucumber and bell pepper, thinly slice red onion, and halve the olives. Chop the herbs.
  5. Toss with dressing: In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta and about two-thirds of the dressing. Toss to coat so the pasta absorbs flavor.
  6. Add the crunch and color: Fold in tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and olives. Add more dressing as needed to lightly coat everything.
  7. Finish with feta and herbs: Gently fold in feta and fresh herbs. Taste and adjust with more lemon, salt, or pepper.
  8. Rest and serve: Let it rest 10–20 minutes so the flavors mingle. Serve chilled or at room temperature.