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This Mediterranean Pasta Salad recipe is easy to make and tossed with a yummy lemon-herb vinaigrette.
Now that the weather’s warming up, it’s high time for the season of picnics, grill-outs, and patio parties to begin! Finally!!
So to celebrate, I thought it was only appropriate to cool off some hot pasta, toss it with a bunch of fresh and zesty ingredients, and toss it in a bowl that’s perfect for passing around the picnic. That’s right, I made you some pasta salad!
Because if memory serves me right, you all sure seem to love a good pasta salad. Last time I checked, my favorite 5-Ingredient Pasta Salad was still one of the top recipes on this site (and one of my all-all-all-time favorites). Not to mention this spring-y Asparagus & Arugula Pasta Salad, or this lightened-up Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, or this sweet Strawberry Caprese Pasta Salad, that you also have seemed to enjoy. So for something new this year, I thought I’d try a simple Mediterranean twist on the classic pasta salad, chocked full of fresh veggies and olives, sprinkles with plenty of feta, and tossed in a zesty lemon-herb vinaigrette.
And let’s just say, I’m certain you’re going to fall for this one too. ♥
Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe | 1-Minute Video
The ingredients for the salad were pretty straightforward:
lots of fresh cucumber (I went with an English cucumber, so that you don’t have to mess with seeding it)
ripe cherry tomatoes (or you could use sun-dried tomatoes)
thinly- sliced red onion (feel free to soak it in cold water beforehand if you want a less onion-y taste)
feta cheese galore (I used reduced-fat)
your favorite kind of pasta
Then just whip up a simple lemon-herb vinaigrette to give it a fresh and flavorful kick, toss everything together…
…and this beautiful creation will be yours to enjoy and share.
So cheers to cooling down our pasta, and soaking up these warmer days ahead! ♥
This Mediterranean Pasta Salad recipe is quick and easy to make, it’s tossed with a zesty lemon-herb vinaigrette, and it’s always a crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients
Scale
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
Cook time does not include the amount of time it takes to cook the pasta.
I think this is the tastiest salad I’ve ever made. We will be serving it at my place of employment “the Whistle Stop Grocery and deli in Union Pier, Mi. We make a lot of salads Quinoa, Cous Cous, Wheat Berry, Chicken Salad, and many more. I will be adding this one too. Thank you so much
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks Charles — we’re so glad you enjoyed this! :)
Yes, we know — you’re welcome to dice it or slice it as we did in the photos (we ended up finding we preferred it diced, after trying it a second time). :)
Hi I am going to make this for my bunco party next week. Can any of this be done ahead of time or maybe the night before?
Thank you for the recipe.
Amy
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Amy! We think this can definitely be made the night before — if anything, it will probably be even yummier that way, because the flavors will have had more time to meld and get happy! :) We hope you enjoy!
This was awesome! I’ve tried a million pasta salad recipes trying to find a solid go-to recipe, and I’ve finally found it! The flavor of the vinaigrette is perfect. Happy day!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you Joanna — we’re so happy you enjoyed it! :)
This was SO delicious. I didn’t have red wine vinegar so I ued balsamic….and I got a stronger, denser flavor that really complimented the pasta and the lemon kick. Making this again and again for sure. The dressing is really delightful.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks Alyssa — we’re so happy you enjoyed it! And we love that you used balsamic — we’ll definitely have to try that sometime, as we bet it’s super tasty! :D
I’ve been looking for some lunch recipe ideas and this is honestly perfect. I always find the problem with trying to eat somewhat healthy is the food looks so unappetising but this looks so aesthetically pleasing! Cannot wait to try it out, thank you for sharing! Jess xxx
You do realize that your photos show black olives. Is that extra ingredient you failed to mention? I would think so because black olives are necessary for this to actually be a decent salad.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Pasha! They’re actually kalamata olives, but they are definitely listed in the recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
MEDITERRANEAN PASTA SALAD INGREDIENTS:
12 ounces dry pasta (I used farfalle)
1 English (hot house) cucumber, diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2/3 cup sliced kalamata olives
This looks so yummy and easy! I can’t wait to try it with some grilled chicken. Do you think if I make a big batch and store in containers for a few days (for meal prepping for lunches) it will still be okay? I won’t add onions and cheese until eating but it would be so much easier to keep it mixed with the dressing rather than taking everything separately to lunch.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks, Gia — we hope you love it! And grilled chicken would be an awesome addition! Yes, we think if you make a big batch, it should still be good after a few days, for sure. :)
I made this today since the day here in AZ is in the upper 70’s (in February). I added artichoke hearts (the ones in water) subbed sliced black olives instead of kalamata. I kept the feta out of the salad until serving so I can just put it on top. It’s really good! Thanks for your recipe..
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing with us, Diana — we’re happy you enjoyed it!
I made this for tonight and it is outstanding. Wish I’d grilled lamb steaks to go with it and some rice pilaf. The flavors really compliment each other. I highly recommend this delicious salad. 5 stars.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you, Janet! We’re so glad you loved it and we appreciate your generous rating! :)
Looks yummy! Wondering if you have the nutritional content?
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks, Kim! We’re sorry but we are unsure of the nutrition facts/amount of calories in this recipe. We currently are not publishing nutrition facts on the site, as the nutrition calculators available are not 100% accurate, and we never want to publish anything that might be misleading. However, a lot of our readers love the My Fitness Pal nutrition calculator, so feel free to try that for an estimate. We hope that helps!
What is a substitute for the red wine vinaigrette? Thank you!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Rasha! If you don’t care for the red wine vinaigrette, you could try this one instead (we think it would be really yummy in this)! We hope this helps!
I normally don’t eat cold pasta but now that I’m trying to incorporate more veggies in my diet I gave it a tried and LOVED IT! And now I’m counting calories. Do you know how many calories are in a serving?
Very tasty…fresh…perfect summer salad. We also tried it without the feta, onion and olives for a kid friend version with those accompaniment on the side to be added if wanted Kids liked it too.
I made this for dinner yesterday. It was so good, my husband was still talking about it when we went to bed at 11 pm! I can’t wait to try the leftovers today.
What a fabulous looking pasta salad! I could campletely devour multiple bowls of this right now!
Thanks Tori! We hope you love it! :)
Right there with you in cooling down our pasta and enjoying the warmer days! Especially with a pasta salad as delicious as this.
Thanks Josh, we hope you enjoy it!
No better way to celebrate food like a salad. It looks so fresh and appetizing. Definitely its going to be at the top of my fav list.
I love making a big bowl of bright pasta salad when we have a lot of people over. It feeds so many people and is easy to make ahead of time!
Kari
This is going on my list to try soon! Great for summer cookouts!
Awesome, we hope you love it Lori! :)
This makes me crave a summer cookout! It won’t be long right? The lemony herb vinaigrette with a bit of spice sounds delicious.
Yes, we’re on the cusp, thank goodness! :D We hope you enjoy this!
Great idea! Perfect for a cook out ? I can imagine it now – chicken skewers, your salad, something cold to drink…thanks!
Yes, now you’re talking! :)
Looks soooooooo delicious! Totally gonna try it!
Awesome, we hope you enjoy it! :)
I want to make this salad today and serve it tomorrow.
Should I leave the dressing off till tomorrow or put it on now and let the flavors meld?
We would go ahead and add the dressing so the flavors can all get happy! :) We hope you enjoy!
Yum! I make something really similar to this – I love adding shrimp!
Picnic season is the best season, and pasta salad is the best kind of salad. This looks so delicious and perfect for the sunshine seasons!
Thanks Karly — we hope you enjoy this (preferably on a sunny day, eaten outside). :D
I think this is the tastiest salad I’ve ever made. We will be serving it at my place of employment “the Whistle Stop Grocery and deli in Union Pier, Mi. We make a lot of salads Quinoa, Cous Cous, Wheat Berry, Chicken Salad, and many more. I will be adding this one too. Thank you so much
Thanks Charles — we’re so glad you enjoyed this! :)
Can I just use Greek dressing instead of making the vinaigrette?
Sure! We hope you enjoy! :)
The cucumber in your photo is not diced.
Yes, we know — you’re welcome to dice it or slice it as we did in the photos (we ended up finding we preferred it diced, after trying it a second time). :)
Hi I am going to make this for my bunco party next week. Can any of this be done ahead of time or maybe the night before?
Thank you for the recipe.
Amy
Hi Amy! We think this can definitely be made the night before — if anything, it will probably be even yummier that way, because the flavors will have had more time to meld and get happy! :) We hope you enjoy!
Made this tonight. It was fantastic!!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it Michele!
Delish!! Looks just like the picture and tastes amazing! Thanks!
Thanks Barbara — we’re thrilled you enjoyed it!
Can I sub white wine vinegar for the red?
Yes, definitely — we hope you enjoy!
So is it ok to make it and save for the next day? Making it for a beach trip! Looks delicious!!
Yes, definitely! We hope you enjoy and have a great time at the beach! :)
This was incredible! Even better on the second day.
Thank you Rachel — we’re happy you enjoyed it! :D
Do you think this would be good with pepperon? If I do add pepperoni should I use a different dressin?
Hi Amanda! We think pepperoni would be awesome in this, and we wouldn’t change the dressing unless you wanted to. Enjoy! :)
This was awesome! I’ve tried a million pasta salad recipes trying to find a solid go-to recipe, and I’ve finally found it! The flavor of the vinaigrette is perfect. Happy day!
Thank you Joanna — we’re so happy you enjoyed it! :)
Should the total time be less than the prep time?
Whoops — typo! Thanks for catching that. It should be 15 minutes total time. :)
If I make the day before, should I add the dressing or leave it until just before serving? I’m just worried that it will get all mushy.
I can’t wait to make it. It looks fabulous!
Hi Abbey! We actually think the flavors would have more time to get happy if you added the dressing ahead of time as well. We hope you enjoy! :)
This was SO delicious. I didn’t have red wine vinegar so I ued balsamic….and I got a stronger, denser flavor that really complimented the pasta and the lemon kick. Making this again and again for sure. The dressing is really delightful.
Thanks Alyssa — we’re so happy you enjoyed it! And we love that you used balsamic — we’ll definitely have to try that sometime, as we bet it’s super tasty! :D
Can you make this pasta the night before?!
Hey Alyson! Yes, definitely! We actually think it tastes better the longer the flavors have to meld together. :)
Hey! Thank you for the recipe. It was so quick and so delight! A keeper for sure. Can’t wait to try your other recipes!
We’re glad you enjoyed it, Reem!
I’ve been looking for some lunch recipe ideas and this is honestly perfect. I always find the problem with trying to eat somewhat healthy is the food looks so unappetising but this looks so aesthetically pleasing! Cannot wait to try it out, thank you for sharing! Jess xxx
Thanks, Jess — we hope you love this! :)
You do realize that your photos show black olives. Is that extra ingredient you failed to mention? I would think so because black olives are necessary for this to actually be a decent salad.
Hi Pasha! They’re actually kalamata olives, but they are definitely listed in the recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
MEDITERRANEAN PASTA SALAD INGREDIENTS:
12 ounces dry pasta (I used farfalle)
1 English (hot house) cucumber, diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2/3 cup sliced kalamata olives
This looks so yummy and easy! I can’t wait to try it with some grilled chicken. Do you think if I make a big batch and store in containers for a few days (for meal prepping for lunches) it will still be okay? I won’t add onions and cheese until eating but it would be so much easier to keep it mixed with the dressing rather than taking everything separately to lunch.
Thanks, Gia — we hope you love it! And grilled chicken would be an awesome addition! Yes, we think if you make a big batch, it should still be good after a few days, for sure. :)
This post was made for me. Pasta is my favorite food ever. I’ve already made half of them, but I will definitely try some of the rest!
Awesome, we hope you enjoy this one!
I made this today since the day here in AZ is in the upper 70’s (in February). I added artichoke hearts (the ones in water) subbed sliced black olives instead of kalamata. I kept the feta out of the salad until serving so I can just put it on top. It’s really good! Thanks for your recipe..
Thanks for sharing with us, Diana — we’re happy you enjoyed it!
Delicious!!! Great to bring for camping. Loved it. Thank you
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Ruby! :)
I made this for dinner tonight as it is HOT outside. What a delicious, easy recipe. Thank you!
Thank you, Jennifer, we’re so happy you liked it!
I made this for tonight and it is outstanding. Wish I’d grilled lamb steaks to go with it and some rice pilaf. The flavors really compliment each other. I highly recommend this delicious salad. 5 stars.
Thank you, Janet! We’re so glad you loved it and we appreciate your generous rating! :)
Mediterranean and salad. What a great combination! Excellent recipe, very healthy.
Thanks, Sal, we hope you enjoy it!
Delish and easy, will make again and again!
Awesome, so happy to hear it!
Awesome!! Especially for a hot summer day!!
Looks yummy! Can I use fresh oregano instead of dried?
Thanks, Carolyn, we hope you enjoy it! And yes, most definitely!
Looks yummy! Wondering if you have the nutritional content?
Thanks, Kim! We’re sorry but we are unsure of the nutrition facts/amount of calories in this recipe. We currently are not publishing nutrition facts on the site, as the nutrition calculators available are not 100% accurate, and we never want to publish anything that might be misleading. However, a lot of our readers love the My Fitness Pal nutrition calculator, so feel free to try that for an estimate. We hope that helps!
What is a substitute for the red wine vinaigrette? Thank you!
Hi Rasha! If you don’t care for the red wine vinaigrette, you could try this one instead (we think it would be really yummy in this)! We hope this helps!
This was so yummy! I left out the oregano simply because we had none :) Family hit! Thank you!
Can it be made with Italian Dressing?
Sure thing!
This was a fabulous experience to make and tastes AMAZING
Awesome!
I normally don’t eat cold pasta but now that I’m trying to incorporate more veggies in my diet I gave it a tried and LOVED IT! And now I’m counting calories. Do you know how many calories are in a serving?
Very tasty…fresh…perfect summer salad. We also tried it without the feta, onion and olives for a kid friend version with those accompaniment on the side to be added if wanted Kids liked it too.
This is my family’s favorite pasta salad. I make it frequently.
Thanks so much for this! My family absolutely loves it!
I made this for dinner yesterday. It was so good, my husband was still talking about it when we went to bed at 11 pm! I can’t wait to try the leftovers today.
This salad looks wonderful. I’m not a fan of feta cheese, what other cheese do you suggest substituting?
You could sub in some Parmesan cheese instead, if you’d like, or just leave the cheese out. :)