Delicious Greek Pasta Salad recipe, with all the ingredients you love in a traditional Greek Salad like cucumber, tomatoes, red onions, black olives, and feta, mixed with Italian bowtie pasta. Serve this delicious pasta with Barbecued Sumac Chicken or Babyback Ribs!
About this Greek Pasta Salad recipe
I've tasted a lot of pasta salad recipes over the years. After many church potlucks, women's Bible studies, and other events, you can't help but sample hundreds of various pasta salad recipes.
However, there's one particular Greek Pasta Salad recipe that stands out in my mind above all the rest. It's a recipe that my friend Rose shared in a Pathways Community Church cookbook which was published in 2006.
If there's one thing I love about this particular pasta salad recipe it's the combination of cucumber and Feta cheese. I know that sounds simplistic, but it's such a great combo!
I have used Rose's recipe as a starting point and have made some slight adjustments because, you know, that's just what I do!
One of the changes I made was to add spicy chili peppers. I just love using them in salads but they go especially well in this Greek salad recipe.
Rose's recipe uses pre-made balsamic and oil vinegar dressing. Since I didn't have any on hand, I decided to make my own. Besides, I really wanted to mix in dried oregano and fresh garlic in with the dressing.
Ingredients
- 9 oz dry bowtie pasta
- 1 medium cucumber (chopped)
- ½ medium bell pepper (sliced)
- ½ cup red onion (sliced)
- 1½ cups grape tomatoes (sliced in half)
- 1 six-ounce can whole black olives
- 1½ cups crumbled feta
- ½ cup hot chili peppers
Dressing
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- ½ tsp. dried oregano
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
Additional Ingredients
- 1 T. sea salt
Instructions
Add water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a six-quart Dutch oven. Bring to a boil then add pasta.
Stir the pasta to keep it from sticking together and cook for ten minutes, or according to package directions. Drain the pasta in a strainer and rinse with cold water.
Add cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, tomatoes, black olives, and hot chili peppers to a medium-sized bowl.
Add cooled pasta to the bowl and mix to combine.
Whisk dressing ingredients together in a measuring cup.
Pour dressing over the pasta salad and gently mix to combine.
Sprinkle feta cheese over the pasta salad and fold in until completely incorporated. Chill and serve as a side or as an appetizer.
Cook's Tips
- Put some of the salad dressing aside and stir it in just prior to serving. This really wakes up the flavor of the pasta salad.
- Pepperoncini peppers are also great in this salad.
- If you are short on time just use Paul Newman's Balsamic Vinaigrette instead of making it from scratch.
- Cubes of cheddar and salami are also great additions to this Creamy Greek Salad Recipe.
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Creamy Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 9 oz dry bowtie pasta
- 1 medium cucumber (chopped)
- ½ medium bell pepper (sliced)
- ½ cup red onion (sliced)
- 1½ cups grape tomatoes (sliced in half)
- 1 6 oz can whole black olives
- 1½ cups crumbled feta
- ½ cup spicy chili peppers
Dressing
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- ½ tsp. dried oregano
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
Additional Ingredients
- 1 T. sea salt (to salt boiling water)
Instructions
- Add water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a six-quart Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then add pasta.
- Stir the pasta to keep it from sticking together and cook for ten minutes, or according to package directions. Drain the pasta in a strainer and rinse with cold water.
- Add cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, tomatoes, black olives, and hot chili peppers to a medium-sized bowl.
- Add cooled pasta to the bowl and mix to combine.
- Whisk dressing ingredients together in a measuring cup.
- Pour dressing over the pasta salad and gently mix to combine.
- Sprinkle feta cheese over the pasta salad and fold in until completely incorporated. Chill and serve as a side or appetizer.
Notes
- Put some of the salad dressing aside and stir it in just prior to serving. This really wakes up the flavor of the pasta salad.
- Pepperoncini peppers are also great in this salad.
- If you are short on time just use Paul Newman's Balsamic Vinaigrette instead of making it from scratch.
- Cubes of cheddar and salami are also great additions to this Creamy Greek Salad Recipe.
Kelly Methey says
This recipe is calling my name! Sounds so good, especially with summer coming. Adding the meat and cheese makes it dinner in a bowl on a hot day!
Thanks, Hilda, for another great recipe.
HildaSterner says
Thanks, Kelly, I hope you like it as much as Art did!