Looking for a delicious gluten-free pasta salad to add to your menu? Try this creamy Greek pasta salad! It’s loaded with perfectly cooked rotini, crunchy veggies, flavourful feta and olives and tossed in the most amazing yogurt dressing. Great for those summer barbecues and picnics!
Hi friends!
Now that we are full swing ahead into the warmer months, I’m all about easy recipes that require little fuss but still provide tons of flavour.
I’ve always enjoyed pasta salad. Well, I’ve always loved pasta or, um, carbs.
This gluten-free pasta salad is just that.
I remember years ago when hubby and I were only teenagers, going to university, we would often visit the food court at the mall for a little nosh. There was this pizza place where we would love to grab a slice and a big serving of pasta salad. Boy, did I love that place.
These days, I opt to make my own pasta salad and this one is on regular rotation, especially this time of year.
Creamy Greek Salad Dressing
Instead of purely oil or mayo, this pasta salad is tossed with a creamy yogurt dressing.
It’s primarily plain Greek yogurt along with lots of freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil and seasonings (like dill and oregano).
This yogurt dressing is herbaceous and totally dill forward (which I love). Also delicious on baked potatoes!
Can I Use Another Pasta?
Definitely!
Rotini pasta was used here, but you can use a similar sized noodle, like penne, fusilli or cavatappi.
Tip: Allow your pasta to cool before dressing. Place drained pasta on a baking tray with a tiny bit of olive oil and allow it to cool or rinse and drain with cold water.
Tip: Cook your pasta a little more than “al dente” as it will firm up a little when cool.
Tips and Variations
- Like most pasta salads, this will firm up a little in the fridge. Before enjoying, remove from the fridge for a little bit (about 10 to 15 minutes or so) so it gets a little more lush again.
- Don’t need this to be a gluten-free pasta salad? Use your favourite regular variety.
- If you like more (or less) of a particular ingredient, simply adjust to taste.
- To reduce some of the pungency of your red onion, give the sliced onion a little rinse/drain under cold water before adding to your salad.
- Remove the seeds from your cucumber (so it doesn’t water down your pasta salad).
- This recipe yields quite a bit. You can easily reduce if you are feeding fewer people.
More Summer Salads
I hope this Greek pasta salad makes an appearance on your picnic table this summer season. You’re going to love it!
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!
This creamy Greek pasta salad recipe was originally published May 29, 2017 but has been updated.
Creamy Greek Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Creamy Dressing
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup lemon juice, juiced (from about 3 lemons)
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ to 1 teaspoon dried dill (dill weed), depending on how much dill flavour you like
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
Greek Pasta Salad
- 12 ounces dried gluten-free rotini pasta, about a 340 gram box or ¾ pound
- 1 small red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 small green bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
- ½ large English cucumber, sliced in half, seeds removed and cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1.5 cups)
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ½ cup black olives, pitted and sliced
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Chopped fresh dill leaves or oregano leaves, garnish to taste (optional)
Instructions
Creamy Dressing
- In a bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, dill, garlic, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Pour over pasta salad, stirring in to coat everything. Set aside.
Pasta
- Cook rotini pasta according to package instructions, about 1 to 2 more minutes than al dente. Drain and rinse with cool water. Drain again.
Assemble the Salad With Dressing
- In a large bowl, stir together the pasta, bell peppers, cucumber, grape tomatoes, red onion and olives.
- Add crumbled feta and pour over the creamy dressing. Stir to combine everything.
- Garnish with some fresh dill or oregano if you like. Serve and enjoy!Note: Enjoy immediately or store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 to 4 days.
Notes
- Like most pasta salads, this will firm up a little in the fridge. Before enjoying, remove from the fridge for a little bit (about 10 to 15 minutes or so) so it gets a little more lush again.
- Don’t need this to be a gluten-free pasta salad? Use your favourite regular variety.
- To reduce some of the pungency of your red onion, give the sliced onion a little rinse and drain under cold water before adding to your salad.
- Remove the seeds from your cucumber (so it doesn’t water down your pasta salad).
- This recipe yields quite a bit. You can easily reduce if you are feeding fewer people.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
