Greek Orzo Salad
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Greek Orzo Salad – this delicious pasta salad is made with tender orzo, bright tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, plenty of fresh herbs, tangy feta and olives, and it’s all tossed in a zesty lemony vinaigrette. It’s a breeze to prepare and can be ready in 25 minutes or less!
Easy Orzo Pasta Salad
This is the perfect thing to make year-round. It’s a nutritious, well rounded, veggie-packed pasta salad.
You can make as is or toss in some cooked chicken or shrimp (just make a little bit of extra dressing). And if you want to make it even healthier you can use whole wheat pasta in place of the standard semolina based orzo.
This is brimming with fresh Mediterranean flavor and it is so easy to throw together. It’s mostly just a bit of chopping, cooking orzo pasta and whisking a quick dressing.
We love it for lunch but it’s always so welcomed at dinner too, and it’s delicious paired with salmon or grilled chicken. It may likely soon be one of your favorite recipes to make with orzo!
Greek Orzo Salad Ingredients
For this orzo salad recipe, you’ll need:
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Garlic
- Salt and pepper
- Dry orzo
- Crumbled feta
- English cucumbers
- Grape tomatoes
- Olives
- Red onion
- Fresh basil and parsley
See below for full amounts and directions.
How to Make Orzo Salad
- Mix lemon vinaigrette ingredients, chill in fridge.
- Boil the orzo according to package instructions. Drain and rinse briefly to cool and prevent sticking.
- Meanwhile dice up the veggies (cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, herbs and olives).
- Toss everything together in a large bowl.
Can You Freeze Pasta Salad?
- While yes you can freeze pasta salads there are some that don’t freeze quite as well, it really depends on the ingredients in it.
- If you have raw crisp vegetables such as cucumbers or tomatoes I don’t recommend freezing as these don’t hold up very well frozen.
- So with this specific recipe it’s best served fresh, not frozen. Or just wait to add the vegetables until after it’s been thawed.
How to Store It
- This orzo salad will keep for up to 2 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
- If it’s a little on the dry side, you can rehydrate with a little olive oil.
Can I Use Another Type of Pasta?
- Yes other great substitutes are spiral, penne, bowtie or macaroni pasta, just use the same weight listed.
- Even a cheese-filled tortellini would be delicious (use double the weight listed).
Tips for the Best Orzo Salad
- Don’t add too much additional salt to this salad as both the feta and olives are quite salty.
- Once you’ve diced the red onion you run it under cold tap water to remove its harsh bite if preferred.
- To enhance flavors let the salad rest in the fridge for 1 hour so everything marinates and flavors blend.
- If you like a cold pasta salad then chill for 1 to 2 hours before serving.
- For the best flavor use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the vinaigrette.
More Easy Pasta Salad Recipes You’ll Love:
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Greek Orzo Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salad
- 1 1/4 cups (8 oz) dry orzo
- 1 cup (5 oz) crumbled feta
- 1 medium English cucumber, diced
- 1 (10.5 oz) pkg. grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives (or 3/4 cup sliced black olives)
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion,
- 3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste, set aside.
- Cook orzo according to directions listed on package to al dente or just 1 minute shy. Drain and rinse under cold water for about 10 seconds. Drain well.
- Add all of the salad ingredients, including cooked orzo, to a large bowl and toss. Pour dressing over top and toss to evenly coat.
- Store in refrigerator up to 2 days.
Notes
- Don't add too much additional salt to this salad, as both the feta and olives are quite salty.
- Other pastas you can use in this recipe are spiral, penne, bowtie or macaroni pasta (using the same weight). Even a cheese-filled tortellini would be delicious (use double the weight listed).
- Recipe makes about 10 cups.