Greek Pasta Salad

It’s summer time and that means it’s pasta salad time! The basic reasoning behind that is: A) pasta salad can take any and all kind of summer vegetables you have on hand and be perfectly happy and delicious, and B) pasta salad is easy as hell and gets even better after a day in the fridge which means it’s the perfect recipe for all us lazy beach bums!

greek pasta salad

Gaw. I WISH I was a lazy beach bum. Instead, I’m a lazy pregnant lady with a constant desire for the sweet, sweet, empty calories of white pasta and bread. Sooo… Greek pasta salad it is today! And tomorrow. And Sunday, if I’m lucky and don’t eat it all before then.

What makes it Greek? Kalamata olives, I guess. And oregano vinaigrette. And feta cheese. And it was served at the first Olympic games*.

You might also like Caprese Pasta Salad with basil and mozzarella!

Greek Pasta Salad Recipe Video (Scroll down for printable recipe)

Greek Pasta Salad Recipe – Printable!

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Greek Pasta Salad

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4.8 from 13 reviews

  • Author: Hilah Johnson
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 ounces (2 cups dry) rotini pasta
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen green beans, cut to 1″ lengths
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup diced yellow bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup sliced black or kalamata olives
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

Instructions

  1. Bring a medium pot of water to boil with about a teaspoon of salt added. Add pasta and set timer for 2 minutes shy of the minimum recommended cook time.
  2. When the timer goes off, add the green beans and set timer for 2 more minutes. Drain and rinse briefly with cold water. Leave to drain in sink.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.
  4. Add pasta and green beans and toss to coat in the dressing.
  5. Gently stir in remaining ingredients, adding cheese last. Chill until ready to serve. This keeps well in the fridge up to 48 hours.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 180
  • Fat: 8
  • Carbohydrates: 21
  • Protein: 5

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*Probz not true. But it’s so yummy! Look at that!

greek pasta salad

26 Comments

  1. Melissa on June 13, 2014 at 10:18 pm

    Congratulations Hilah!! I’m so happy for you guys. Your new house is so damn cute, and your dogs are cute, and your belly is cute, and your boobs look amazing! So all in all your life seems pretty awesome right now. I love your show and I’ve made a few of your recipes and they are always a big hit with my wife so…thanks! 🙂

    • Hilah on June 14, 2014 at 10:09 am

      Thank you, Melissa!
      You’re right! My life does seem pretty awesome right now. 😉 It’s great to hear from you; so glad you and your wife have enjoyed my recipes. Thanks for writing!

  2. Julie on June 15, 2014 at 1:43 pm

    aaaah so happy for you! You are my favorite internet chef and the house is beautiful. Also very interesting how babies are made.

    • Hilah on June 16, 2014 at 7:52 am

      Thank you, Julie! 🙂

  3. Great Stone Face on June 15, 2014 at 4:02 pm

    Starting off with the home and the “watermelon.” Mrs. GSF and I are very jazzed about your new bundle and home! Many congrats to Chris & you!

    Next, the recipe. Could you use lemon juice as an alternative acid to the vinegar?






    • Hilah on June 16, 2014 at 7:52 am

      Thank you, Mr and Mrs GSF!
      You could try lemon juice, but I think I would prefer the vinegar flavor.

      • FoodJunkie on June 17, 2014 at 8:24 pm

        I was going to ask about the lemon juice too. Lemon instead of or in place of part of the vinegar seems to be quite traditional (based on recipes only as I have never been to Greece) for Greek salads. I think either version might be quite tasty.






        • Hilah on June 18, 2014 at 4:40 pm

          You’re right. It’s probably just me not able to imagine pasta with lemon. But I guess it works in hot pasta dishes, so why not, right?

  4. Gene Cox on June 15, 2014 at 8:17 pm

    Feta Cheese is what makes it Greek to me, I think. I love greek Salads, and as always you come up with the best recipe. Love it.






    • Hilah on June 16, 2014 at 7:53 am

      Thanks, Gene! Yeah, the feta and kalamata together are so nice and tangy.

  5. Chuck Taylor on June 16, 2014 at 8:43 am

    I am totally going to try this today! Been looking for a pasta salad just like this for a minute. Thanks Hilah you sexxxy preggo you!






    • Hilah on June 16, 2014 at 9:18 am

      Hahahaha! Thank you kindly, Chuck. Hope you like the pasta salad!

  6. Terry Beadle on June 16, 2014 at 10:14 am

    I enjoyed the house tour …. but I’m a detail guy. Could you post what kind of stove you’ve got now? I liked the way it seems easy to time cooking etc.

    Well, I guess because this is a rent house you may want to wait until you move into your new house when ever that maybe.

    By the way, congratulations re the pending crumb snatcher.

    Best wishes !






    • Hilah on June 16, 2014 at 3:17 pm

      Hey Terry!
      It’s a Kitchenaid and it’s marvelous. So far, I love it.
      Also, something I found interesting and surprising: this is the first house I’ve lived in that had a name-brand garbage disposal — Insinkerator — and holy cow, what a difference in noise level! It’s so quiet compared to all others I’ve seen.
      I do need to figure out some kind of compost system, though. Can’t (and don’t want to) throw all our scraps away like that.

  7. Great Stone Face on June 16, 2014 at 4:21 pm

    Harold McGee of the New York Times did an experiment a few years ago on how little water you can use to cook pasta. He had some interesting views that Italian über-chef Lydia Bastianich didn’t completely buy. I live in an area that rarely has water shortages, so I (ashamed face) use as much water as the dried pasta box recommends. (An example.) Next time I boil pasta, I’ll try cutting back, using your directions.






  8. Ayumi on June 23, 2014 at 12:10 am

    Congrats!!! So happy to see your big belly! I’ve watching your show for 3 yrs. I started watching your show in Japan and then I moved to States now. I feel your life is changing and my life is changing…happier and happier!

    I just want to say I am happy for you. Take care!

    P.S. My husband has loooooooves my Tex Mex Chili (your recipe) I made since when we were dating. I think that was one of the reason he fell in love with me…

    Oh! One more thing. Don’t change your “wildness” even you become a MOTHER!






    • Hilah on June 23, 2014 at 8:19 am

      Hi Ayumi!
      Thank you so much for writing. I’m honored to be a part of your journey! So happy for your happiness, too. 🙂 XOXOXO

  9. Nikki on June 28, 2014 at 9:16 pm

    Made this today for my family and it was a hit! Everyone commented that they’d never had pasta salad with green beans and what a great idea it was. I’ll definitely be making this again soon! Thank you!

  10. John Clulow on July 9, 2014 at 7:09 am

    We’ve made this four times now and we love it.






  11. Malcolm on July 10, 2014 at 10:29 am

    Hi Hilah,

    I needed something to watch while I flossed my teeth so I popped this bad boy on. Of course you are as sweet and charming as ever! Cool pad, perfect for starting a new family. And congratulations on that lil guy, have you thought about naming him “Water Melon Johnson”?

    I have to say, while the new place is super cozy and awesome, I do think your old orange kitchen had real character. Always reminded me of some 1970s retro-style kitchen, but somehow it worked. Anyways, love the new kitchen too.

    Good luck to you and Chris! He’s a lucky guy! But i’m sure he knows that 😉






  12. Bill on July 11, 2014 at 8:50 am

    I have to say, this was by far the most devoured dish at our 4th of July shindig. Very much a quick and easy summer dish. ..and bravo for the water conservation techniques.

    However..the old kitchen will be sadly missed. Oddly enough those counters and dark cabinets were exactly like the ones on my kitchen built in 1971. Renovations changed all that in 1999.

    We always look foward to firing up the computers here at work and gathering a crowd making new fans of “Hilah”

    All the best with you expanding family, and thanks again for making smiles and great eats.

    Bill






  13. Rachael Macry on July 15, 2014 at 1:27 pm

    Is this where you made the announcement??? I didn’t click on the recipe cuz I don’t care for any kind of cold pasta.. see what I missed! Haha!

    Warmed and fuzziest of congrats! Babies are my most favorite things evarrrrrrrrr

    • Hilah on July 15, 2014 at 2:44 pm

      Yep, about half way through the video the new home tour starts and I make the official announcement 🙂
      I’m SO EXCITED!!!

  14. John Clulow on August 31, 2014 at 11:04 am

    We have made this salad pretty much per the recipe about 6 times now and our favorites are with radiator pasta and always with feta cheese. In addition to the couscous salad, which we make with quinoa instead, these two have been in our fridge pretty much all the time all Summer. They are so delicious and thus have helped us actually lose weight as well.

    We love Hilah Cooking !!






  15. John Clulow on September 11, 2014 at 3:32 pm

    Just made another batch of this wonderful Greek pasta salad; this time a triple size batch. We add a little heat to it in the form of a couple of seranos (I think, small, not green ones) but otherwise dead on the recipe. Every time we make this, both Carol and I say this is one of our very favorite things. This will last us most of 5-6 days, looking forward to each and every serving.






  16. Deebee on May 23, 2015 at 11:38 am

    Hello Hilah ,I just discovered you on my roku and thought you were hilarious,if we lived closer I’m sure we would become good friends ,I tried you Greek salad for this holiday weekend the family loved it….. I will check out more of your recipes. Good luck with your new house ,blessings for your new baby,if I wanted to check out you cookbook you showed on the video ,where can I find it ? Thanks again for the EASY an great tasting recipe …………..Debi






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