This easy Gluten-Free Greek Pasta Salad is vegan, dairy-free, allergy-free, loaded with fresh crunchy veggies, & a homemade greek vinaigrette! A healthy Mediterranean cold side dish recipe that takes the ingredients of a classic Greek salad, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, kalamata olives, red onion, green pepper, & adds pasta!
It's time you add some pasta to that classic Greek salad! All the fresh, bright, crunchy veggies and Mediterranean flavors you love, added to a healthy cold pasta salad! But this isn't just any Greek salad or pasta salad...it's gluten-free, vegan, and allergen-free! Gluten-free penne, no feta cheese, jut wholesome plant-based ingredients! It makes for a perfect cold side dish, lunch, or light meal. Bonus points for being SO quick and easy!
What's in a Vegan Greek Pasta Salad?
First, I should tell you what's in a classic Greek salad. It's a no-lettuce salad, known as "horiatiki", that only includes juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, green bell pepper, red onion, kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, oregano, olive oil, and red wine vinegar! But in this pasta salad, you'll need:
- Gluten-Free Penne
- Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
- Green Bell Pepper
- English or Persian Cucumber
- Red Onion
- Kalamata Olives (you can use black olives if you can't get kalamata)
- Vegan/Allergen-Free Feta Cheese (100% optional, I did not use any! But, I recommend Esti Foods. No soy, nuts, or dairy here!)
For the Homemade Vinaigrette:
- Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Lemon Juice
- Garlic
- Oregano
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
How to make Greek Pasta Salad
- Simply boil your gluten-free penne al dente, drain, and give it a rinse to stop the cooking process (no one likes mushy pasta salad!)
- In the meantime, chop and slice all your veggies and add them to a large bowl.
- Toss in the cooked and cooled pasta.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the greek vinegarette, then pour that into the large pasta salad bowl and toss everything together.
- Give everything a final taste to adjust seasonings; add some extra dried oregano to garnish.
- Let the greek pasta salad marinate and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. Preferably let the cold pasta salad sit in the fridge overnight and serve it the next day for optimal deliciousness.
- Serve it chilled or room temperature. Don't serve it freezing cold from the fridge (you'll lose the optimal taste!)
Storage and Serving Suggestions
- Store the finished pasta salad in a covered bowl or container in the fridge for up to one week.
- Let the pasta salad sit and chill for a minimum of 30 minutes in the fridge before serving. Ideally, let it sit overnight to really marinate!
- Toss the pasta salad before serving to distribute all the dressing and flavors again and bring it room temperature for optimal flavor.
- Don't leave leftovers out of the fridge any more than an hour or 2 to prevent spoilage.
- Make it a heartier meal by serving it with some grilled chicken, fish, or crumbled veggie burger!
A Healthy Greek Pasta Salad for Any Diet
There's something to be said about the "Healthy Mediterranean Diet". All real, fresh ingredients that make you feel good inside and out! This pasta salad if perfect in the hot summer months, but works as a great light meal any time of year that the entire family will love! It's:
- Gluten-Free
- Vegan and Vegetarian
- Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
- Sugar-Free
- Make-Ahead & Meal Prep-Friendly
- Quick & Easy
Gluten-Free Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
Gluten-Free Greek Pasta Salad (Vegan, Allergy-Free)
This easy Gluten-Free Greek Pasta Salad is vegan, dairy-free, allergy-free, loaded with fresh crunchy veggies, & a homemade greek vinaigrette! A healthy Mediterranean cold side dish recipe that takes the ingredients of a classic Greek salad, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, kalamata olives, red onion, green pepper, & adds pasta!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 Minutes
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 Servings 1x
- Category: Side
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
Ingredients
- 12 oz Gluten-Free Penne*
- 1 Pint of Grape or Cherry Tomatoes (halved)
- 2 Cups Sliced, Quartered English or Persian Cucumber
- 1 Cup of Sliced, Chopped Green Bell Pepper
- ½ Cup Thinly Sliced Red Onion
- ½ Cup Halved Kalamata Olives**
For the Greek Vinaigrette:
- ⅓ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 TB Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 Tsp Lemon Juice
- 2 Tsp Dried Oregano (plus more to garnish)
- 1 Tsp Minced Garlic
- Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Boil the gluten-free penne according to package directions, just to al dente to keep the noodles from getting mushy.
- In the meantime, slice and chop the bell pepper, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives and toss them into a large bowl.
- Drain and rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process before adding them to the chopped veggies.
- In a small bowl, measure and whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and seasonings before adding the vinaigrette to the pasta salad.
- Gently mix and toss everything together in the bowl to combine.
- Let the pasta salad marinate and chill in the fridge, for at least 30 minutes (preferably overnight), before serving.
- Enjoy cool, at room temperature.
Notes
*You can use another shape gluten-free pasta if you don't have penne.
**Make sure you buy pitted kalamata olives. You can use black olives too.
***If you would like to add some vegan feta, I recommend the top allergen-free feta from esti Foods.
****Feeling fancy? Add a dash of dried mint to your vinaigrette!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Varies
Keywords: pasta, pasta salad, cold pasta salad, Greek salad, Mediterranean salad, gluten-free pasta salad, vegan pasta salad, easy pasta salad, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, allergy-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, nut-free, peanut-free, coconut-free, corn-free, sesame-free, sugar-free, kid-friendly, make-ahead
So fresh, crunchy, bright full-bodied flavors. The perfect way to dress up some gluten-free pasta! And I love that it can be a side dish, light lunch, or a bigger meal! We all know how delicious pasta salad leftovers are too (honestly, day-old pasta salad it the best!
More Gluten-Free Pasta Salad Recipes:
- Orzo Pasta Salad
- Simple Summer Corn Macaroni Salad
- Classic American Macaroni Salad
- Classic Italian Pasta Salad
- Buffalo Pasta Salad
- Easy Mexican Pasta Salad
- Vegan BLT Pasta Salad
So tell me:
+ Have you ever made or had an authentic Greek Salad? Yes! It was one of the first recipes I made myself via my Nintendo DS with this game!
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Alexandra
I made this last night for 4 adults and 5 kids and it was a hit! It was a great, light, summer dinner.
★★★★★
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Awesome! I am SO glad everyone enjoyed 🙂
Josh B
Oh my wow this soooooo delicious and easy! It's perfect for a summer barbecue or just as a side to a meal. I honestly could just eat it as the main entree since I'm a vegetarian. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I pinned it for later. Have a great day!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes! It definitely works as a full meal (just depends on the serving size!)
Emily Flint
This pasta salad looks so fresh and delicious, perfect for summer! I can't wait to make this for my next BBQ.
★★★★★
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You will love it, Emily! Enjoy!
Allison
This looks delicious! I just went vegan, this is on my list!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
That's great Allison, enjoy.
Patricia P.
I love pasta and Greek salad. This blends the two nicely. Thank you for sharing this recipe. It’s great for these hot summers.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Agreed! I hope you enjoy 🙂
Marie
Yum this looks so delicious 😋 can’t wait to try!!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
So good and just so fresh!
Pamela
This is perfect for those hot nights I don't want to cook! Pinned!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Right? A perfect light summer meal!
Ivan Majhen
This is great. Easy and light
★★★★★
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Super easy to make! Just boil, chop, and mix!
Allison
Yum!! I’m going to def try this one!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Perfect all year long!