Since travelling through Greece in 2018, I still have dreams about the food there. When I was a toddler, one of my favourite snacks was olives! Odd, I know. I think Greek food is one of my favourite types of food to eat so I was eager to try this recipe out. This salad is a spin on the classic greek salad, with noodles added to give it more substance as a vegetarian meal or side dish. It’s a fun, colourful, and fresh looking dish that’s sure to fill you up in all the right ways!

For this recipe you’ll need:

  • 1 16oz bag of short pasta (rotini, bow ties or penne work best)
  • 3/4 long English cucumber, diced
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 bell pepper red or orange, diced
  • 1/2 cup sliced pitted olives
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese, cubed
  • 1/3 red onion, diced

Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • salt & pepper to taste

Steps to make this salad:

  1. Cook the pasta al dente and rinse under cold water to stop cooking
  2. While the pasta is cooking, wash and chop the veggies
  3. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl
  4. Combine the veggies and olives in a large bowl and toss with dressing
  5. Top with feta cheese
  6. Chill before serving

This is the perfect dish to prep and make ahead of time for parties, picnics or potlucks. You could also use a store bought greek dressing if you’re crunched for time. Some other possible additions are chopped spinach, kale or chickpeas. If you eat meat, you could easily add grilled chicken or a fillet of salmon to make it a complete meal. This salad will hold up well in the fridge for about four to five days, making it the perfect school or work lunch accompaniment. I shared this meal with a group of my friends and it went well as a side salad with our bbq greek inspired vegetable and prawn skewers.

You can visit the website, Spend with Pennies, for the full recipe along with other delicious looking recipe inspiration.