Make this easy Greek Pasta Salad Recipe ahead of time and eat for dinner with leftovers for lunch the next day!
About two months ago, a friend invited me to join her on a weight loss/fitness challenge. I needed something to motivate me to get back into shape so I jumped in. I usually am more of a planner but I didn’t think this one through. After about a week, I knew I couldn’t keep it up. It was too much too soon and from one extreme to the other (eating horribly, no exercise to crazy strict diet and hard core classes). I was in tears.
But I didn’t want to go back to living off chili cheese fries and soda. I had the jump start that I needed to get back on track, even if it was a very expensive one. Since I started the challenge, I’ve lost 20 lbs and a couple pant sizes. I’m feeling good. The key for me was finding some balance and not torturing myself. I want to eat this way long term so I needed to do things that I wouldn’t hate. I’ve spent the last couple months counting calories on My Fitness Pal and searching for good recipes that my family will eat but are healthier. I’ve also learned more about portion control.
This Greek Pasta Salad was one of the recipes that I served my family. It wasn’t tough to put together and makes a lot. Some people might balk at it because it is pasta and pasta is carbs. But as long as I’m not eating it every day and I have a small portion, it’s all good. For some reason I’ve really loved Greek and Mexican inspired meals since I changed my focus. Yum!
I love that I made my own dressing and that it was tasty.
The vegetables looked so pretty and colorful all chopped up. 
I added the veggies to the pasta and was ready to dress it.
Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ c penne pasta uncooked
- ½ c red onions sliced
- 15 grape tomatoes cut in half
- 1 c cucumbers diced
- 2.2 oz sliced olives
- 1 c green peppers diced
- 1 c feta cheese crumbled
For the dressing:
- ⅓ c red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ½ tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- ½ c extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to directions.
- Drain and set aside.
- For the dressing - in a bowl, whisk together all ingredients except for the olive oil.
- Drizzle olive oil into the first ingredients and whisk.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the vegetables and feta cheese to the bowl of pasta.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta and toss.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or more.
Nutrition
Recipe slightly adapted from Just a Taste
While I love sharing ooey gooey desserts and main dishes, I have a bunch of healthy recipes too. Check them out:
