This Mediterranean Pasta Salad recipe is easy to make and tossed with a yummy lemon-herb vinaigrette.
If you’re looking for the perfect make-ahead dish for your next gathering, this Mediterranean pasta salad is it. ♡
It’s fresh, vibrant, and bursting with flavor thanks to a colorful mix of veggies, briny kalamata olives, and tangy feta. The real star of the show is a zippy lemon-herb vinaigrette that brings everything together. I love how quickly this recipe comes together and how well it holds up for picnics, potlucks, or easy lunches throughout the week. You can serve it cold or at room temperature, and it’s always a crowd favorite.
Let’s make a batch!
Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Recipe Tips
Here are a few quick tips to make this pasta salad a success:
- Be sure to generously salt your pasta water. This simple step adds flavor right from the start and is crucial for seasoning the pasta itself.
- Cook the pasta al dente. Slightly firm pasta holds up better in salads and won’t get mushy as it sits.
- Let it marinate. If you have time, let the salad rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving so the flavors have time to meld.
- Taste and adjust. Before serving, give it a quick taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed. The flavors can mellow as it sits.
Recipe Variations
This Mediterranean pasta salad recipe is incredibly customizable, so feel free to toss in any of these extras:
- Add a protein: Toss in grilled chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas to make it more filling and protein-packed.
- Add a different cheese: Replace feta with crumbled goat cheese or shaved Parmesan for a different flavor twist.
- Add greens: Stir in baby spinach, arugula, or chopped kale just before serving for extra nutrients.
- Add jarred veggies: Add artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers or sun-dried tomatoes for extra veggies.
- Add fresh herbs: Mix in chopped parsley, basil, dill, or mint for extra freshness and flavor.
- Add nuts: Add toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds for extra crunch and protein.
More Pasta Salad Recipes To Try!
Looking for more easy pasta salad recipes to try? Here are a few of our all-time faves:
Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Mediterranean Pasta Salad Ingredients:
- 12 ounces dry pasta (I used farfalle)
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 2/3 cup sliced kalamata olives
- 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- half of a medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano, minced
- 1 teaspoon honey (or your desired sweetener)
- 2 small garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
To Make The Mediterranean Pasta Salad:
- Cook the pasta al dente in a large stockpot of generously-salted water according to package instructions. Drain pasta, then rinse under cold water for about 20-30 seconds until no longer hot. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Add cucumber, tomatoes, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and red onion to the mixing bowl, then drizzle all of the vinaigrette evenly on top. Toss until all of the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra feta and black pepper if desired.
To Make The Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette:
- Whisk all ingredients together until combined.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Hi. I would like to make this for a reunion will need to mak for 100. Your recipe say serve immediately. Could the pasta and ingrians done ahead of time and mixed adding the lemon sauce just before serving?
Delicious! I added grated parm, chicken breast, red bell pepper, sugar snap peas, and spinach. Super delicious!
Good morning, do you have a breakdown of the nutritional value of this salad?
I’ve made this awhile back and it’s one of our favorites. Contemplating on making it for a baby shower. I know it says 6-8 servings but how much is that in terms of cups? I’m looking to fill 50 or so 9oz individual cups so not sure if one of the recipes will suffice or if I need to double or triple.
Awesome salad!!! Everybody loved it, and we’ll make it again!! Thanks!!
Hi Jordan! two years ago your question, and I am here now, in 2024, wanting to make this salad for 18 people coming to my partners surprise retirement party and I have the SAME QUESTION! So, I am hoping you will now be the expert and let me know how many “cups” were in a serving! I am serving with sandwich halfs and fruit salad for an outdoor event, in VA, in the heat!!! Thanks in advance if you even see this!
Great dish! Do you have calories? I didn’t see them
Hi, all well wth your recipes, but what about the carbs in there? like the farfalle white pasta, and the honey in other recipe, i’am gluten entolorant but gluten free is full of carbs Too! Can you please reply to me on that?
You could definitely try gluten free pasta, but be very careful not to overcook it. Another great option is to use quinoa, or even canned chickpeas. Admittedly both these options also contain carbs, but are higher in fiber and protein, so will not spike your blood sugar like white pasta does.
Taste delicious, very easy to make and healthy too. Thank you
This was a hit! Delicious and the longer it’s in the dressing the better.
The salad is just delicious ?!! Thanks
I made this for an Easter potluck and it was a huge hit!!! Everyone was asking what was in the dressing because it was so darn tasty and smelled good. It was so easy to make too! Thank you for sharing this recipe with us 🙂
Such a good salad. I used bow tie pasta and 2 tsps.of honey. Awesome.
Very good and easy. Even my kids enjoyed this recipe. Thanks!!
There was a little Italian pizza shop by my office that sold a salad similar to this, then it closed down suddenly!!! I was too excited when I found this because it is almost the exact same. It has been a family favorite ever since. I do make 5-8 times the dressing and double or triple the rest, we’re a big family and we love the dressing. I also try to keep a Mason jar of this dressing in the fridge for regular salad. Thank you for helping me remake my favorite salad that I thought was lost with that little pizza shop.