Greek spinach pasta salad makes the perfect cold lunch or side dish. Fresh baby spinach is tossed with pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and feta cheese. Drizzled on top is a flavorful homemade vinaigrette dressing!
Recipe summary
Flavor: Light, tangy, fresh
Key ingredients: Rotini, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, onion, feta cheese, and spinach drizzled with a simple homemade vinaigrette.
Serves: 4 large salads or 8 side salads
Great for: Meal prep, on the go lunch, picnic side dish.
Similar to: Roasted Potato Arugula Salad and Greek Chickpea Salad
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Salad ingredients and substitutions
- Spinach - I recommend baby spinach because it's tender, has a mild flavor, and is easy to find at the grocery store. Spinach can be substituted with any leafy greens you have on hand.
- Pasta - I used chickpea pasta for a bit of extra protein. Any cooked pasta will work in this recipe, like whole grain pasta or lentil pasta.
- Red onion - Red onion has a mild flavor that's perfect for salads and adds a pop of color.
- Grape tomatoes - Can be substituted with any diced tomato you have on hand.
- Cucumber - Adds fresh, bright flavor to the salad. Feel free to omit or substitute with a chopped bell pepper, radishes, or zucchini.
- Crumbled feta - Substitute with your favorite crumbled cheese, like goat cheese.
Vinagrette ingredients
- Olive oil - The base of the dressing.
- Red wine vinegar - Can be substituted with apple cider vinegar.
- Dijon mustard - Can be substituted with yellow mustard.
- Seasoning - Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried oregano add flavor to the dressing.
How to make spinach pasta salad
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Add cooled pasta and remaining salad ingredients (minus the spinach) to a large bowl and toss to combine. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine dressing ingredients.
- Divide spinach between serving bowls, top with pasta salad, and add dressing before serving immediately.
Variations
Veggies - Sliced olives, bell pepper, zucchini, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, pickled pepperoncini.
Cheese - Mozzarella pearls, goat cheese.
Protein - Protein pasta, canned chickpeas, shredded rotisserie chicken.
Make ahead
Prepare your salad as directed below, but store the vinaigrette separately. Add dressing just before serving to prevent wilting the spinach.
Want to meal prep this recipe? Prepare your pasta salad ingredients. Add a large serving of spinach to four single serve containers and top with pasta salad. Just before enjoying, pour your vinaigrette over top and toss to coat.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the listed dressing ingredients can be substituted with about ⅔ cup of store bought dressing.
You can't go wrong with any medium sized pasta. Rotini, macaroni, orecchiette, shells, or rotelle are my favorites. To use a different shape, simply swap your pasta at a 1:1 ratio in weight.
Add 1 teaspoon of maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener like honey, simple syrup, agave) to the dressing and stir to incorporate. Add more sweetener as desired to reach your preferred flavor.
This is normal. If your refrigerator is very cold, the oil in the dressing will solidify. Allow the dressing, or dressed salad, to warm up on the countertop for a few minutes and the oil will liquefy again.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Greek Spinach Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 8 ounces rotini, dry
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- ½ red onion, diced
- 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 8 ounces baby spinach
Vinaigrette
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta to al dente, according to pasta's package directions. Drain and allow to cool.
- In a large bowl, add cooled pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and feta cheese. Toss to combine. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, add olive oil, vinegar, mustard, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
- When ready to serve, divide spinach and pasta salad between four bowls, drizzle with vinaigrette, and toss to coat. Or, toss entire salad together in a single bowl and serve.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Pasta variations: Any medium sized pasta works in this recipe. I like to use chickpea or other protein pasta for some added protein.
- Serves: Recipe makes four large lunch salads, or eight or more side salads.
- To store for meal prep: Prepare salad ingredients as directed. Portion spinach into four tightly sealing containers and top with pasta salad. Just before serving, drizzle with vinaigrette and toss to coat.
- Dress just before serving: Spinach will wilt over time once dressed with vinaigrette. I do not recommend dressing your salad until ready to enjoy.
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