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 am in love with every single ingredient of this recipe! Especially the red wine vinegar in the dressing! This must by a flavor explosion in your mouth! Thank you so much for sharing this at Wednesday Extravaganza – can’t wait to see what you share next week 🙂
Thank you!!!!! It’s really good. Thanks for hosting.
This looks incredible! I love anything that has artichokes in it. Thanks for stopping by and linking up to Fluster Buster’s Creative Muster Party! Looking forward to seeing what you’re going to link up next week.
Robin @ Fluster Buster
Thank you, I like pasta salads in hot weather and boy are we having hot weather now! Thanks for stopping by.
With temps in the high 90’s here your salad looks so refreshing Paula! Thanks for sharing the recipe at the party this week! I am featuring it on my Facebook page later today as well as pinning it to the You’re Gonna Love It board on Pinterest 🙂
Oh, thank you so much! It miserably hot here to now, I just want to sitin a freezer! Have a great weekend.
This is SO my kind of salad! YUM! Thanks for sharing Paula!!
~Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy
Thank you! I love it too, thanks for visiting!
Hi! I am visiting from “Mop it Up Monday.” I like this recipe. Do you have a pin it button? I would love to add this to my pinterest recipes.
Thanks,
Nicole
Yes, the pin it is at the bottom of the post along with facebook, twitter, G+ button. Click the red P and it’ll pin for you. Or I have it pinned if you want to follow me and repin. I’m http://pinterest.com/pmctunejones/ on Pinterest. Thanks so much. I love this recipe.
Paula, thanks so much for linking this up with Random Recipe Roundup! This looks so delicious, and healthy! I can’t wait to give it a try! 😀
Looks delicious, thanks for linking up this week! Just pinned so I will remember to make in the near future. Come back next Saturday for another fun Super Summer Saturday party!
Julie
http://www.thechirpingmoms.com
I great for the party into and for pinning, have a great week!
We are having wonderful weather in NY right now low humidity and in the 70s it will turn to humid days soon but we are enjoying the early summer breezes.. Love your pasta salad I’m with you something cool and light to eat. Thanks for sharing this with us on foodie friday.
It’s still hot here, but I’d rather have hot than cold. Glad you guys are having good weather!
I love greek salad! I pinned it — making it soon!!
Thank you! I do too, especially when it’s hot outside. Have a great weekend.
Ok…those rolls and that pie look scrumptious! I’m pinning this pasta salad recipe for future reference! Stopping in from Sharefest!
Thanks so much!