Joanna Gaines’ Greek Pasta Salad Is So Good, I Make It Every Week for My Family

I don’t know about you, but the summer has been busy for my family. With my kids in sports, there are two nights a week where we get home at 7:30 p.m., which means dinner needs to be ready to serve the moment we walk in the door or easy to transport and eat on the go. For this reason, I’ve been relying on easy, make-ahead pasta salads at least one night a week. So when I came across Joanna Gaines’ Greek Pasta Salad recipe, I immediately added it to my list to try. 

Get the recipe: Joanna Gaines Greek Pasta Salad

The pasta comes together quickly and easily if you multitask your prep. Start by boiling your pasta water. While it’s heating, make the vinaigrette by whisking together rice vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Set that aside, grab a cutting board and a sturdy knife and start chopping. Pit and halve kalamata olives, slice half a bunch of green onions, roughly chop a cup of drained stewed tomatoes, crumble feta, and chop fresh basil. At the same time, enjoy the aroma of all of the glorious ingredients filling your kitchen. 

Once your water comes to a boil, cook a package of bow tie pasta according to package directions. Drain and toss it into a big bowl, then pour the dressing over top, followed by the chopped goodies. Give it a gentle stir to combine everything, then pop it in the fridge for an hour to chill before digging in. That’s it — Greek Pasta Salad à la Joanna Gaines.

This pasta salad recipe is a winner. I’ll admit, I was a bit worried I’d get a tin taste from the canned tomatoes, but I’m glad I decided to try them. The stewed tomatoes brought a depth of flavor that fresh tomatoes can’t match in a chilled dish. And I learned that if, like me, you also think fresh tomatoes should stay out of the fridge, this is an ideal workaround.

I chose a brand of bow tie pasta with ridges, and it was spot-on — perfect for catching the dressing and ensuring every bite was packed with flavor. I followed the recipe as written but substituted halved kalamatas for sliced because I happened to have them on hand, and added my basil at the end so it wouldn’t wilt and brown. These are minor changes, and they don’t affect the integrity of the dish. In the end, the variety of flavors and textures was incredible. The salty olives and feta played beautifully against the bright, herby basil and punchy green onions. The dressing was light but decisive, with just the right amount of tang from the rice vinegar. 

1. Dress the pasta while it’s warm. After draining your pasta, transfer it to a bowl, pour the dressing over top, and toss it to combine. You can wait until the pasta cools a bit before adding the remaining add-ins, but as this story suggests, dressing warm pasta will enable it to soak up all the flavors better. 
2. Don’t skimp on the “chill” time. While it doesn’t have to be in the fridge, the hour of “chill time” is crucial for the flavors to come together. The result is a finished dish that’s more than the sum of its parts. And the fridge isn’t required — the pasta is excellent at room temperature, too.
3. Swap the pasta. While bow ties are recommended, any short pasta with ridges or curves, like fusilli or rotini, would work well to catch the dressing. I might even try it with tortellini.
4. Play with your add-ins. Add some finely diced bell pepper, tomatoes, or even some cucumber for more vegetables. Swap the green onion for finely diced red onion, and choose a different type of olive. I love oil-cured olives and think they’d be great in this dish. This dish is highly adaptable, so don’t hesitate to make it your own.
5. Make it a meal. If you want to bulk it up, add chickpeas, grilled chicken, or even a side of grilled kebabs — it’s grilling season, after all! Since I served this for dinner, I tossed in some roughly chopped arugula for extra green goodness and a can of chickpeas for extra protein. 
6. Make extra dressing. This isn’t necessary, but if you decide to use more add-ins, like chickpeas, chicken, arugula, or more of what’s already in the recipe, you might want a little more dressing. In this case, I’d recommend multiplying the recipe by one and a half.
7. Don’t be shy with the herbs! The fresh basil makes this dish sing, so feel free to add a bit extra if you’re a herb-lover like me.

With no end to this busy summer in sight, this pasta salad has earned a permanent spot on my dinner rotation. The perfect balance of easy and delicious, it’s simple enough for a weeknight dinner in the park but special enough to bring to a potluck to share with friends. Plus, it’s endlessly adaptable. Whether you’re feeding a busy family or just looking for an easy, make-ahead, meal-prep lunch option, this recipe is worth adding to your rotation.

Get the recipe: Joanna Gaines Greek Pasta Salad