Healthy Greek Pasta Salad (Gluten-Free)

Teleport back to warm summer days with Healthy Greek Pasta Salad. It’s the perfect side dish for a summer picnic or BBQ! Made with gluten-free pasta and a light vinaigrette.

Healthy Greek pasta salad has never tasted so good

Does pasta salad remind anyone else of enjoying summer barbecues, eating on paper plates, and letting the baked beans, ketchup, mustard, and hamburger run together? I don’t know if it’s just me, but summertime meals were always my favorite!

To this day, they still are. Classic summer meals take me back to the days of childhood when my family lived in our suburban neighborhood. We spent every weekend together eating dinner outside at someone’s house, playing in the backyard, and relaxing on the deck. I remember running around catching fireflies, swimming until dusk, and jumping out of the water when we heard the ice cream man!

Summers were the best and those memories will live me with forever. Among them is the memory of my mom’s classic Italian pasta salad. It was the perfect side dish to go with the burgers, hot dogs, baked beans, corn on the cob, and watermelon. I can vividly remember enjoying seconds on pretty much every occasion!

As summer quickly approaches, I wanted to create a delicious pasta salad that tastes as good as the one I remember, but with healthier ingredients. I’ve been on a Greek kick lately, so I found it only fitting to put together a healthy Greek pasta salad!

Ingredients used in this Greek salad recipe

In this recipe you’ll find classic pasta salad items like red peppers, cucumber, grape tomatoes, and olives! However, it’s the dill, feta, and red wine vinaigrette that truly set this dish apart.

For the salad itself, you’ll need:

• Gluten-free pasta (I used Ancient Harvest but you can use regular)
• Olives
• Red pepper
• Red onion
• Cucumber
• Grape tomatoes
• Fresh dill
• Feta (optional)

For the dressing, you need:

• Red wine vinegar
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Oregano
• Onion powder
• Salt and pepper

Tools used to make homemade Greek salad

For this salad, you’ll need a pot for boiling the pasta, as well as a handful of other tools. Gather these items, and let’s dive in!

• Cooking pot
• Strainer
• Cutting board
• Chopping knife
• Small mixing bowl
• Large mixing bowl
• Stirring utensil
• Measuring cups: 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, 1 cup

How to make healthy Greek pasta salad

Pasta salad recipes tend to be simple to make, and this one is no different! Boil your pasta, prepare your veggies and mix-ins, and then create your dressing. That’s pretty much it!

To start, cook the pasta according to the box and drain.

Chop all of the veggies, and then combine them in a large bowl. Then, stir in the dill and feta.

In a separate bowl, whisk all of the dressing ingredients together.

Add the pasta to the veggies, then pour the dressing on top. Stir well to combine.

Serve and enjoy!

Substitution and add-on options

Whether you’re picky about the ingredients and need some substitution ideas or you’re wondering how you can add even more to this salad, there are a bunch of options for you!

Substitution options:

• Gluten-free pasta: If you don’t follow a gluten-free diet, feel free to use your preferred type of regular pasta instead.
• Red bell peppers: Mix things up and use green, orange, or yellow bell peppers.
• Red onion: Red onion can be substituted with white, yellow, or whichever you choose.
• Olives: If you don’t like Kalamata olives, black olives will do the trick! Use the same amount (1 3.8oz can).

Add-on options:

• Avocado: Add some healthy fat to your salad with avocado slices.
• Romaine lettuce: Want an extra crunch? Use romaine lettuce!
• Lemon juice: Add a dash of lemon juice for extra zest.
• Honey: For a sweet touch, honey is a great idea.

Greek salad storage

Greek salad can be kept in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Be sure to keep it refrigerated!

In my opinion, pasta salad always tastes richer the longer it sits. The second day is my favorite!

More delicious summertime meals to try

For more delicious summertime eats, I have you covered! Choose from those listed below or browse through my site for more yummy options. Enjoy!

• Zucchini Noodle Caprese Salad with Walnut Pesto
• Barbecue Chicken Spaghetti Squash Boats
• Avocado Corn Salad
• Healthy Apple Crisp

Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa