Light and delicious healthy Greek Pasta Salad made with traditional greek salad flavors and heart healthy whole wheat rotini pasta. Sure to be your new favorite, this whole wheat pasta salad is a simple and tasty make-ahead side dish.
If you are looking for a delicious and lightened up side dish to serve at your next brunch or barbecue, this is it! Full of flavor and lots of healthy veggies, Greek Pasta Salad is the perfect make-ahead dish.
In the past, whole grain noodles have gotten a bad rap. I personally believe that it’s largely due to previous versions being bland or chewy. However, the whole wheat pastas offered now have a subtle nutty flavor and are perfect for everyday pasta but even better for pasta salads. My favorite whole grain pasta, and the one I used for this dish, is Barilla Whole Grain Rotini Pasta.
It’s good to use whole wheat pasta for pasta salad because it is a noodle that holds up well and doesn’t get mushy. It holds dressings and seasonings, especially the corkscrew versions like rotini, delivering lots of flavor with every bite.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
If you love serving up pasta salads, be sure to check out my other varieties, all of which can be made ahead using whole wheat pasta:
Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad is so easy to make with store-bought rotisserie chicken and a tangy greek yogurt dressing.
Pasta Salad with Veggies and Corn is a simple to put together pasta salad that is also vegan friendly.
Antipasto Pasta Salad has all of the traditional flavors of an antipasto salad done in an easy-to-make pasta salad form.
Ham Pasta Salad from Taste of Home is another great pasta salad to pair with whole grain pasta shells.
Asian Noodle Salad is a great alternative to your typical lunch salad. So delicious and healthy with protein-packed peanut butter and fiber-filled whole wheat noodles.
5-Ingredient Pesto Pasta Salad is a simple and delicious pasta using store-bought pesto sauce.
Ham Pasta Salad is delicious and easy pasta salad with leftover ham, cheddar, and peas.
Spinach Pasta Salad is a great recipe to have on hand when you are looking for a healthier pasta salad recipe.
How to Make Greek Pasta Salad with Whole Grain Pasta
Greek Pasta Salad is super simple and completely make-ahead friendly. Firstly, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add in your whole grain pasta. Be sure to cook it until just al dente, about 8 to 9 minutes should work.
Meanwhile, make the dressing and chop the veggies. For this salad, I use the traditional greek salad veggies: cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and bell peppers. Of course you can’t forget the feta and kalamata olives either. Place all of the veggies in a large bowl over the drained and slightly cooled whole grain pasta noodles.
Next, make the dressing. I prefer to make this greek dressing in a mason jar so I can easily shake it up, pour it on, then cap it and save some for later. This tasty dressing has all of those delicious greek salad flavors and really adds flavor and depth.
*Make ahead tip: only pour on half of the dressing and save the rest for right before serving. Additionally, add the kalamata olives and feta right before serving so they don’t break down too much in the salad.
I like to refrigerate this salad for at least an hour before serving, but you can make up to two days in advance. Right before serving, let it sit at room temperature for a couple of minutes, then toss in the remaining dressing (to taste) and the kalamata olives and feta cheese. Sprinkle with extra oregano for a beautiful presentation.
For another party salad favorite, be sure to try my Broccoli Cranberry Salad with Greek yogurt dressing! And don’t miss my zesty Lemon Orzo Salad with feta cheese.
Greek Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 10 ounces whole wheat rotini pasta
- 1 yellow bell pepper, largely diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, largely diced
- 1 english cucumber, peeled, seeded and largely diced
- ⅓ cup red onion, diced
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, chopped
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbles
Greek Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook rotini according to package directions, until al dente. Strain and place in large mixing bowl.
- Add the diced bell peppers, cucumber, onion, tomatoes, olives, and onions. Toss gently to combine.
- To make the dressing, combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk to emulsify. Alternatively, you can place all ingredients in a glass jar with a lid and shake to combine.
- Pour dressing over pasta salad and toss gently to combine. Refigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Sandhya Hariharan
We love a good pasta salad and Greek Salads top the list all the time. I am going to try your version soon.
Jordin
MMM, I love a good pasta salad! This looks so delicious and easy to make. I cant wait to make this for the family, they are going to love it also!
Cindy
We are always trying new recipes as a family to make meal time ..a family time! This recipe was delicious, I made it with gf noodles 🙂
angelakallison
Thanks Cindy! Glad you loved it!
Emily
Yum, this sounds so fresh and delicious. I’ll definitely be making this when the weather warms up!
David
Love Greek flavored anything, especially pasta salad. I do like to use whole wheat pasta when possible, but you do have to look for a good tasting brand.