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greek-style potluck pasta salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta in a bowl on a blue kitchen cloth.
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5 from 2 votes

Potluck Pasta Salad - Greek-Style

This is our favorite potluck pasta salad with feta, green peppers, and tomatoes. It's the perfect dish for sharing at gatherings.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Salads
Cuisine: Greek
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 246kcal
Author: Adina

Ingredients

Pasta Salad:

  • 2 ½ cups bow tie pasta or other short pasta, 9 oz/ 250 g
  • 2 medium ripe tomatoes or the equivalent amount of cherry tomatoes
  • ½ cucumber
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 1 large green bell pepper
  • 15-20 black olives
  • 1 cup feta 5.5 oz/ 150 g, crumbled (Note 1)
  • fresh herbs or arugula (oregano, thyme, or basil) optional

Pasta salad dressing:

  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar more to taste
  • 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice to taste
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 4 fl.oz/ 115 ml, (Note 2)
  • fine sea salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt generously and the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the packet's instructions. Drain well.
    2 ½ cups bow tie pasta/ 250 g
  • Prepare vegetables: In the meantime, halve the tomatoes and cut them into thin slices; halve the cucumber and the red onion and slice them thinly as well. Quarter the green bell pepper and slice the quarters thinly. Pit the olives, if necessary, and slice them.
    2 medium ripe tomatoes + ½ cucumber + 1 medium red onion + 1 large green bell pepper + 15-20 black olives
  • Dressing: Mix red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, grated garlic cloves, and dried oregano. Slowly add the olive oil while whisking until the dressing emulsifies slightly. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add more vinegar and/ or lemon juice if you feel it's necessary.
    3 tablespoons red wine vinegar + 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice + 2 garlic cloves + 2 teaspoons dried oregano + ½ cup extra virgin olive oil + fine sea salt and pepper
  • Combine the drained pasta with the dressing. Add the vegetables and mix carefully. Crumble the feta on top of the salad and mix gently again.
    1 cup feta
  • Refrigerate: Cover the salad and refrigerate until ready to serve; the salad should be made a few hours in advance so that the flavors have time to mingle. Add chopped fresh herbs just before leaving the house or before serving (optional).

Notes

  1. Feta in brine, not pre-crumbled feta. 
  2. Know your olive oil, and make sure you use a sort that is appropriate for making salad dressings. If your olive oil is not of good quality or has too strong a taste, it will ruin the salad. Choose a good quality, mild sort of extra virgin olive oil, and if you are not familiar with the brand, always taste it before you add it to the salad.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 511mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g