ZESTY GREEK PASTA SALAD
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Zesty Greek Pasta Salad is fresh, light, and the perfect light dinner or lunch. Crunchy vegetables, tangy dressing, and comforting pasta makes this salad a total winner!
The great thing about this salad is it’s better made 4 to 12 hours ahead of time. This makes it just perfect for picnics, tailgating, and work or school lunches. This Mexican Macaroni Salad.
As well, keep this salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it’ll keep up to four days.
Furthermore, you can make the dressing 2 or 3 days early. It’s also great on a green salad.
ZESTY GREEK PASTA SALAD
You can use any shape of pasta. Some to try are rotini, farfalle, fusilli, penne, or Campanelle. All the crooks and crannies of these pasta hold on to the dressing.
Additionally, this salad is so versatile. To change it up try adding
- Feta cheese
- Pepperoni
- Marinated artichoke hearts
- Chickpeas
- Sundried tomatoes
- Pepperoncini peppers
- Capers
RECIPE TIPS
- Be sure to generously salt your pasta water. This ensures your pasta will have great flavor.
- Cook the pasta to al dente so that it doesn’t get soggy after sitting in dressing.
- When being used for a cold salad, pasta should be rinsed after cooking. This serves two purposes. First, it stops the cooking process immediately. Rinsing in cold water brings the temperature of the pasta down. It also keeps the pasta from being gummy and clumping together.
WHILE YOU’RE HERE, CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES
- New Orleans Sausage Shrimp Crawfish Pasta
- Shrimp Spaghetti Carbonara
- Ground Beef Mongolian Noodles
- Whipped Feta with Blistered Tomatoes (dip)
- Grape Salad
- Sweet and Sour Citrus Salad
- Best Cobb Salad with Buttermilk Garlic Dressing
- Loaded Keto Avocado Bacon Chicken Salad
Please remember that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary based on the products used.
I updated this post from an earlier version dated June 20, 2013. I made new photos and simplified the recipe instructions.
Zesty Greek Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 cups pasta
- 3 Tablespoons red onion sliced
- 1 cup zucchini cut in half then sliced
- ⅓ cup yellow pepper diced
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 Tablespoons olives black or kalamati
- ¼ cup feta cheese optional
- ½ cup artichoke hearts drained, optional
- 2 tablespoons capers if desired
Dressing
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 3 ounces olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon onion salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon garlic clove minced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to directions to al dente. Drain. Do not rinse.
- Combine all dressing ingredients. I use a mason jar with a lid; seal and shake vigorously to combine.
- Combine vegetables; onion, zucchini, pepper, tomatoes, capers, olives, and, (artichoke hearts & feta if using) with pasta.
- Pour dressing over and toss gently.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are important to you, I recommend calculating them yourself.
I’m not a big fan of a lot of those ingredients (artichoke hearts, olives) by themselves, but mixed together like this, they look so yummy!
Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friday
Funny, I’m not either. My husband loves this salad and I can eat a little of it all together, then I start picking out just the components I like… mostly I don’t like the olives.
Anything with feta has me sold! Looks delicious!! Stopping in from SITS 🙂
Me too, actually any cheese for me. Thanks for stopping by!
Paula, this looks so appetizing. I am pinning to add to my repertoire. Love Greek flavors.
Thanks so much! It’s one of our favorites!
Hey Paula! I was looking at your site on my phone with my mom, she saw the picture of your Greek salad and got really excited. “Click that one! We need to see what’s in the dressing!” Looks great! I think we’re going to try it this week while she’s here.
Yayy! I had another comment they were making it and useing gf pasta, I’ve just started using some gf pasta, (but didn’t in this) and really like it. Hope you guys like it.
This looks delicious! I love Greek salads – so flavourful!
Thank you! We really enjoyed it.
This looks like a wonderful summer salad – thanks for the idea.
Over from SITS
Awesome, hope you enjoy it!
I love everything pasta! This looks amazing!
Definitely going to try this 🙂
Stopping by from SITS.
Thanks so much for stopping by, hope you enjoy the pasta.
I pinned your recipe! Sounds delicious. I pinned it on my ‘gluten free recipes’ board, for I always use Tinkyada GF pasta. Can’t wait to try this.
Thank you! I have been trying out GF pastas and love them, although this one is not. Thanks for stopping by.
It’s 11pm in Iowa, and it is still 80degrees and humid 🙁 I hate it!!! I love your salad 🙂
Thanks so much, Lisa.