Greek Orzo Salad (Printable Version)

Mediterranean orzo pasta salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese, and tangy lemon-oregano dressing. Refreshing and easy to prepare.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 cup orzo pasta
02 - 1 teaspoon salt for boiling water

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
05 - ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
06 - ¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

→ Cheese

07 - ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Fresh Herbs

08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - ½ teaspoon salt
15 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook according to package instructions until al dente, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Drain through a colander and rinse under cold water to halt cooking process. Allow to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled orzo, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, Kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley, and fresh dill.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, dried oregano, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - Pour prepared dressing over salad mixture and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated with vinaigrette.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning as needed with additional salt or pepper. Refrigerate for 10 minutes before serving to enhance flavor development.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes better the next day, which means less work when you need it most.
  • The orzo holds onto the dressing without getting mushy, so every forkful is bright and satisfying.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables or herbs are begging to be used up in your crisper drawer.
02 -
  • Rinsing the orzo under cold water isn't optional, or it will stick together in one giant clump and ruin the whole texture.
  • Add the feta last if you want it to stay in chunks, tossing it too hard will turn it into creamy bits that disappear into the dressing.
03 -
  • Toast the orzo in a dry pan for two minutes before boiling it, the nutty flavor makes the whole salad taste deeper and more interesting.
  • If your feta is too salty, soak it in cold water for ten minutes before crumbling, it'll mellow out and let the other flavors come through.
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