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Greek Tzatziki Pasta Salad

Greek tzatziki pasta salad with creamy Greek yogurt dressing, crisp cucumber, and juicy cherry tomatoes. Penne or rotini is coated in tzatziki, then chilled so every bite tastes tangy, cool, and fresh.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 440
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 1 lb penne or rotini pasta use 1 lb penne or rotini
  • 0.5 Salt and pepper to taste for pasta water and seasoning the dressing
Tzatziki dressing
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 cucumber, diced (divided) 1 large cucumber total; reserve half for grating and squeeze out moisture
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper to taste season to taste in the tzatziki
Salad
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 0.5 cup red onion, diced
  • 0.5 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
  • 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and rinse the pasta
  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne or rotini pasta according to package directions, until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water so the pasta stays firm and doesn’t clump.
Make the tzatziki
  1. Grate half of the cucumber and squeeze out excess moisture using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Mix the grated cucumber with Greek yogurt, sour cream, minced garlic, lemon juice, chopped dill, and salt and pepper until smooth and creamy.
Assemble the pasta salad
  1. In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta with the remaining diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and Kalamata olives. Add the tzatziki sauce and toss until every piece is coated.
  2. Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese so it stays light and doesn’t break down. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving for best flavor and texture.

Notes

Pro tip: squeeze the grated cucumber very well—watery tzatziki is the #1 reason this salad turns loose. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; stir once before serving. Freezing isn’t recommended because cucumbers and yogurt can lose texture. For a dairy-light option, use all Greek yogurt and substitute the sour cream with additional yogurt while keeping the same lemon and dill.