Besides my affinity for latin inspired dishes, Greek/Mediterranean is my second favorite flavor profile. This Greek Pasta salad is perfect for summer! With ingredients like cucumber, feta cheese, olives and tomato, this recipe is full of fresh flavor! It’s a light and easy recipe that makes for a great dish to bring to a summer BBQ or even to whip up as a side for your own meal prep. It’s healthy, gluten free and comes together in under 20 minutes.
Why Greek?
When I traveled to Mykonos and Santorini a couple years ago, one of my favorite things to order was the basic Greek salad. Sounds boring I know, but the simple refreshing flavor is what I like most about it. In this recipe, you get the meditteranean flavors of a Greek salad paired with gluten free pasta. It’s the perfect addition and bumps up the satisfaction factor!
Pick Your Pasta
The pasta I use for this recipe is from Banza Pasta. In my opinion, Banza Pasta is the best tasting Pasta alternative. It’s made from chickpeas so it’s lower in carbs and also packs a decent amount of protein. And no this is not sponsored in any way….I just really love their pasta! I’ve been using it for a few years now. Their pasta alternative works perfectly in dishes like bacon, shrimp and pasta and baked ziti! I’ve been buying mine recently from Costco but you can find them at most major grocery stores now!
You can use whatever style of pasta you prefer. Rotini, bowtie, penne – you name it, its works! And if you don’t mind a little gluten in your life, feel free to use regular pasta as well!
Add Some Protein
Another way I increase the protein in this meal is to add either shredded chicken or tuna. I did that this past week when I ate this for lunch and it worked perfectly as a full meal versus a side dish. And if you’re into this flavor profile, you should check out these Greek Meal Prep Bowls! I mean, you could even have this Greek Pasta Salad along with those bowls and I wouldn’t judge you! 🙂
Ingredients
- 8 oz gluten free pasta of choice – I used Banza Chickpea Rotini
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into quarters
- 1 small red onion chopped
- ½ cup sliced kalamata olives
- ½ cup crumbled feta
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tbs red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Set a pot of water on high heat to prepare the pasta.
- While water is heating, start your dressing. Whisk together oil, vinegar, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic salt and lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside.
- Once water is boiling, heat pasta according to package directions (For Banza pasta I heat for 7 minutes), stirring occasionally to break up pasta.
- While pasta is cooking chop vegetables and place in a large bowl along with feta cheese.
- Add cooked pasta to a colander and rinse with cold water.
- Once pasta has cooled, add to veggie mixture and top with dressing.
- Toss to coat and serve immediately or store in the fridge for a few hours to allow flavors to blend together.
Nutrition Facts
Greek Pasta Salad (Healthy, Gluten Free, 20 Minutes)
Serves 2 large scoops
| Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 326 | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 20 | 30.8% | |
| Saturated Fat | 0 | |
| Trans Fat | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 | |
| Sodium | 0 | |
| Total Carbohydrate 27 | 9% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 | |
| Sugars | ||
| Protein 12 | ||
| Vitamin A | Vitamin C | |
| Calcium | Iron | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Beauty and the Bench Press
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