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This Mediterranean Orzo Salad is loaded with crispy cucumber, juicy tomatoes, salty olives and tangy feta cheese. Served with a zesty Greek dressing, this simple orzo salad recipe makes the perfect healthy dish for summer cookouts, picnics and weeknight dinners.
Greek orzo pasta salad
Orzo is a type of small, rice-shaped pasta commonly used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. Thanks to its versatility, people usually add it to soups and salads as an alternative to regular pasta or rice. Although it is not popular in the US, back when I was living in Italy as a child we used to eat orzo pasta for dinner. My favorite dish was cold orzo pasta salad with mozzarella and pancetta, but dad usually put it in his minestrone as an alternative to the pastina recipe. Well, it was still very tasty. Whether for dinner or as a picnic meal, orzo is so delicious and satisfying.
This easy orzo salad recipe was inspired partly from my Italian background and partly from Whole Foods. Some months ago on our trip to Chicago, we had lunch at Whole Foods buffet. My girlfriend and I tried the orzo macaroni salad. It was so flavorful and satisfying that back home, we started making it from scratch. This Greek orzo salad is now part of our weekly menu rotation. Not only our simple recipe is great for dinners and lunch boxes. It also makes the perfect side dish for family gatherings, summer cookouts, picnics, barbecues and holiday meals. A must for the 4th of July this year!
Flavorful orzo is tossed with fresh vegetables, tender chickpeas, olives and salty crumbles of feta cheese. The zesty Greek dressing and fresh leaves of mint enrich this healthy dish with all the good Mediterranean flavors. You will love it served cold on a hot summer day, on its own or paired with a protein. Refreshing, satisfying, vegetarian and nutritious. Oh, and it’s budget-friendly too!
Recipe ingredients
There are just a handful of ingredients that go into a good orzo recipe. Fresh summer vegetables, olives, feta and orzo salad. Here are some more details, you will find precise quantities in the recipe card down below.
- Orzo. The protagonist of our dish, you’ll need 9 ounces of dry orzo. This tiny pasta can usually be found at the grocery store where they sell dry goods like regular pasta and rice. Some readers commented that they were able to locate it in the section of Italian products.
- Cherry tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes are sweet and juicy, perfect to add a fresh flavor and a bright color. As an alternative you can slice grape tomatoes, or cut roma tomatoes into small dices.
- English cucumber. Also known as seedless or European cucumbers, they’re bigger, have a thin skin, taste sweeter, and hardly have seeds. They are the best for pasta salads.
- Red onion. Finely chopped onion adds flavor and crunchiness.
- Chickpeas. Cooked chickpeas or in a can, drained and rinsed. For more protein and texture, this healthy orzo salad recipe includes a cup of garbanzo beans. If you don’t want to use them, substitute chickpeas with black beans or simply omit.
- Olives. The best Mediterranean orzo salad is made with Kalamata olives or black olives. Salty and tender, they pair so well with fresh vegetables and Greek feta.
- Feta cheese. Salty and tangy crumbles of feta cheese cannot miss in a good Greek orzo dish. You can purchase pre-crumbled cheese or crumble feta at home.
- Fresh mint. Fresh leaves of mint stirred into lemon orzo pasta are the real game changer. They add a touch of freshness, bringing all flavors to the next level. Feel free to replace or combine it with fresh basil or parsley.
Dressing for orzo pasta sald
This feta orzo salad recipe features a simple dressing that combines all the good Mediterranean flavors into a jar. Made with extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard, it is healthy and nutritious. Nothing like the ones you buy, which are often loaded to the brick with low quality oils and white sugar. To season the dressing and therefore the orzo, our dressing includes minced garlic, dried oregano, kosher salt and ground black pepper. Do you know what’s the best part? Greek orzo dressing is so quick and easy to make. Add all ingredients to a mason jar, whisk or stir, and then pour over the finished salad. Toss all together and let it chill in the fridge so that the orzo pasta can absorb the dressing flavors.
How to make orzo salad
First of all, you will need to prepare the dressing. In a small bowl or in a mason jar, combine olive oil with lemon juice, vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Stir well, until all the ingredients are combined. Set aside while you assemble the orzo salad.
It is now time to cook the orzo. In a large pot, bring to a boil salted water. Once it starts boiling, add the pasta and cook it according to package directions until al dente. This should take approximately 8 to 10 minutes, but make sure you do not overcook it.
Drain and rinse the orzo under cold water, then transfer to a bowl and drizzle with olive oil so that it won’t stick. Let it cool a bit before mixing it with the other ingredients.
While the orzo is cooking, you can prepare the vegetables. Cut cherry tomatoes into half, dice the English cucumber and chop a small red onion with a mandolin or sharp knife. Add all ingredients to the cooled orzo, together with sliced olives, chickpeas, crumbled feta cheese and fresh mint. Give it a good mix. Pour the Greek dressing over your Mediterranean orzo salad and toss to combine.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or with a lid and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes, or an hour even better. Before serving, make sure you gently toss the salad to redistribute the flavors. Enjoy cold, as a side dish or as a main.
Make ahead & Storage
This Mediterranean orzo salad recipe is the perfect make ahead dish for the week or upcoming events. It actually tastes better on day two, after chilling in the fridge overnight. The flavors become more pronounced, the textures improve, and the Greek orzo will have absorbed some of the zesty dressing.
Place leftovers in an airtight food container or in a bowl covered with wrapping paper. Seal with a lid and keep in the fridge to maintain freeness and prevent bacteria from growing. If refrigerated properly, this dish will last for up to 3 days. Take it out of the refrigerator, gently toss, and enjoy cold orzo pasta salad with lemon dressing. This orzo recipe is best served 24-48 hours after preparation. It is not suitable for freezing, as it won’t hold a good flavor and texture.
Success tips
- Cook orzo until al dente and let it cool. For the best orzo pasta salad, you should cook it only until al dente. This should take approximately 8 minutes, but I recommend checking the package directions because cooking times may vary. There’s nothing like overcooked pasta, it softens and does not hold a good texture. Once it is ready, transfer to a bowl with some olive oil and let it cool a bit.
- Cut fresh vegetables in small pieces. Starting with high quality fresh veggies is key in making a tasty and healthy Greek orzo. I recommend cutting all ingredients into small-bite dices of approximately the same size. Each spoonful will have a bit of everything, so yummy!
- Add a protein of your choice. For a more satisfying and balanced dish, add a source of protein. This salads pairs particularly well with chicken breast and fishes like salmon, tuna, shrimps or crab. As a vegetarian alternative, consider throwing in diced mozzarella and boiled eggs.
- Customize the salad with extra vegetables. This simple orzo pasta salad includes cucumbers, tomatoes and onions. It’s already so delicious as it is, but of course you can add some other veggies. Great options are roasted or grilled vegetables, asparagus, artichoke, broccoli, sun dried tomatoes, arugula and eggplants as in Ina Garten orzo pasta recipe.
- Let it chill before serving. This simple step allows the Mediterranean flavors to meld together, and helps the dressing to be absorbed by the salad. Additionally, chilling the dish ensures it tastes refreshing and cool, perfect on a hot day of summer.
Serving ideas
We love making Greek orzo salad for weekday dinners, quick refreshing lunches on the go, or as a healthy addition to outdoor meals. Barbecues, picnics, cookouts, grilling, or even for camping. This easy recipe pairs well with other side dishes like air fryer corn on the cob, our Mexican street corn dip, deviled egg potato salad, or fire roasted tomatoes. For a refreshing meal, enjoy it with watermelon salad, cucumber tomato salad or a creamy broccoli salad. And if you need a summer dessert to cool down, try our frozen lemonade!
More healthy salad recipes
- Italian pasta salad
- Caprese pasta salad
- Shredded chicken salad
- Farro salad with feta cheese
- Watermelon salad
- Cucumber salad
- Caprese salad
- Deviled egg potato salad
- Creamy cucumber salad
- Mexican street corn salad
Orzo Salad
Ingredients
- 9 oz (250 g) orzo pasta, uncooked
- 1 ½ cups (200 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup (160 g) chickpeas, cooked or canned
- ½ cup (70 g) olives, Kalamata or black olives, sliced
- ½ cup (110 g) feta cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, more if desired
Greek Dressing
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard, optional
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ⅓ tsp kosher salt, more to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Greek Dressing
- In a small bowl or in a mason jar, combine olive oil with lemon juice, vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Stir well, until all the ingredients are combined. Set aside while preparing orzo salad.
Cook the Orzo Pasta
- In a large pot, bring to a boil salted water. Once it starts boiling, add orzo and cook according to package directions until al dente. This should take approximately 8 to 10 minutes, do not overcook the pasta.
- Drain and rinse cooked orzo under cold water, then transfer to a bowl and drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking. Let cool before combining it with the other ingredients.
Prepare the Orzo Salad
- While the orzo is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Cut the tomatoes into half, dice the English cucumber and chop the onion.
- Add all ingredients to the orzo, together with sliced olives, chickpeas, crumbled feta cheese and mint leaves. Give it a mix to combine.
- Pour the Greek dressing over the orzo salad and toss to combine.
- Cover the bowl containing the orzo salad with plastic wrap or with a lid and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Before serving, gently toss the salad to redistribute all flavors. Enjoy cold, as a side dish or as a main.
Wow! I love the mediterranean salad, the orzo sounds fantastic and gives a perfect complement for the salad, feel hungry for this ??
Hey dear Liza,
thank you so so much for your kind feedback. I am so glad that you like our Mediterranean orzo with feta cheese 😉
I wish you a great weekend to come,
Matteo