Greek Veggie Pasta Salad (gluten-free)

greek-veggie-pasta-salad-(gluten-free)

All of the flavors of a Greek salad: kalamata olives, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, fresh dill and feta cheese with the addition of pasta, tossed in a lemony, creamy yogurt dressing. This, prep-friendly, gluten-free Greek Veggie Pasta Salad will make the perfect addition to your upcoming menu.

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Wrapping up Better-for-You Pasta Salad Week with this tasty and hearty Greek Veggie Pasta Salad

Make this salad the highlight of your next meal! With all the flavors, all of the veggies and the heartiness factor of this recipes, the rest or your meal can be left pretty simple. I love to serve this salad with grilled chicken or salmon to balance out the meal. It makes for a tasty summer lunch or dinner whether you’re serving as part of a weeknight meal or weekend grill out. With 12 ounces of pasta in this Greek Veggie Pasta Salad plus an ample amount of veggies, it makes for about 10-12 servings. Now I love having leftovers to enjoy in the days following but you could certainly half the recipe if you’re making it for a small family or maybe just one or two.

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Ingredients for Greek Veggie Pasta Salad

For the dressing:

  • Plain Greek yogurt – you can use full-fat, 2% or non-fat. I typically go in the middle and choose 2% but it’s whatever your prefer! 
  • Olive oil – you could also use avocado oil. I love Primal Kitchen oils
  • Lemon and lemon zest – adds a nice little zing and citrus flavor to the dressing. 
  • Dried oregano – dried dill or basil would be a great option as well or a mix of all three.
  • Garlic cloves – you could also use garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper

For the salad:

  • Pasta of any shape – gluten-free if needed. Below I share some of our favorite gluten-free pastas.
  • Fresh dill – dried dill would also work.
  • Cucumber – sliced and quartered. We also love using persian cucumbers (the small ones).
  • Grape or cherry tomatoes –  halved or quartered  
  • Bell pepper – any color will work! 
  • Red onion – love the flavor of red onion, however if you are one that does not care for onions, feel free to omit or use green onion instead for a milder option.
  • Feta cheese – delicious chunks of feta cheese is always a must with Greek food. One of my favorite cheeses.
  • Kalamata olives – same with Kalamata olives. A Greek food classic and my favorite olive of all.

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How to make Greek Veggie Pasta Salad

  • Step 1: Prepare pasta according to package directions. Once cooked, drain in a colander and run under cold water to cool.
  • Step 2: While the pasta is cooking, chop the veggies and make the dressing by combining the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.
  • Step 3: In a large bowl add all of the salad ingredients. About 30 minutes before serving, pour the dressing over top and toss gently until well combined. 

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How to prep ahead Greek Veggie Pasta Salad

This recipe is prep-friendly! To prep ahead simply chop all of the veggies and make the dressing. Store in glass, airtight containers in the fridge. This can be done up to 2 days in advance. For the pasta, I would recommend cooking that the day you plan to serve the salad for best texture.

Now you call also prep this salad entirely as part of a meal prep. You may need to add additional yogurt or dressing right before you serve it as the vegetables and pasta will really absorb the dressing overtime. This salad makes for a delicious prep-ahead lunch and I like to serve it with chicken or salmon to round out the meal.

What is the best Gluten-free Pasta?

Both Jess and I have tried different gluten-free pasta brands and we have a couple that we would consider great options for their taste and texture.

  • Field Day Organic Gluten-free Pasta – found at most food coops and in some grocery stores.
  • Barilla Gluten-free Pasta – a popular pasta brand found in almost all grocery stores.
  • Thrive Market Brown Rice Pasta – available online through the Thrive Market website.

Neither one of us have found a chickpea pasta that we love. However, those are also an option.

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Other Better-for-You Gluten-free Pasta Salads you’ll love

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Let’s Get Cookin’

Greek Veggie Pasta Salad

All of the flavors of a Greek salad: kalamata olives, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, fresh dill and feta cheese with the addition of pasta, tossed in a lemony, creamy yogurt dressing. This, prep-friendly, gluten-free Greek Veggie Pasta Salad will make the perfect addition to your upcoming menu.

  • Author: Stacie Hassing
  • Prep Time: 15 mins.
  • Cook Time: 15 mins.
  • Total Time: 30 mins.
  • Yield: 10 servings 1x
  • Category: Salad

Ingredients

For the dressing:

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (Full-fat, 2% or non-fat) 
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil or avocado oil
  • Juice of 1 lemon (~ ¼ cup)
  • ½ tsp. lemon zest 
  • 1 ½ tsp. dried oregano  (may sub basil or drill)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
  • ½ tsp. sea salt
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper

For the salad:

  • 12 oz uncooked pasta, any shape, (gluten-free, if needed)
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried dill)
  • 1 medium cucumber, sliced ¼ inch thick and quartered (~1 ½-2 cups)
  • 1 ½ cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered  
  • 1 bell pepper (yellow, red or orange or mix), diced (~1 cup) 
  • ½ medium red onion, diced (~¾ cup)
  • 6 oz. feta cheese (¾ cup) + more to sprinkle on top, if desired
  • ½ cup kalamata olives, halved

Instructions

  1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Once cooked, drain in a colander and run under cold water to cool.
  2. While the pasta is cooking, chop the veggies and make the dressing by combining the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl add all of the salad ingredients. About 30 minutes before serving, pour the dressing over top and toss gently until well combined. 

Notes

  • Toss the salad about 30 minutes before serving to allow time for the dressing to really soak in.
  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Add more dressing if needed before serving.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ~ 1 cup (with 2% yogurt)
  • Calories: 220
  • Sugar: 3 g
  • Sodium: 425 mg
  • Fat: 6 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 32 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 8 g

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Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter

About Stacie Hassing

Stacie is a Licensed and Registered Dietitian from rural southern Minnesota where she and her husband reside on 5 acres with their two pups, Walter & Lucy. She’s a creator of simple and wholesome recipes, a lover of nature, a crossfitter, a seasonal runner, and she’s on a mission to inspire as many as she can live a healthier and happier life from the inside out.

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