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Greek Orzo Pasta Salad is a summer pasta salad recipe with orzo, crisp vegetables, feta cheese and a light Greek dressing. You can make this salad in advance and it can be used for up to 4 days after you make it making it a great choice for weekly lunches, parties and warm weather bbqs.
This Greek Orzo Pasta Salad is ready in 25 minutes and only gets better as it sits. Tender orzo is tossed with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, kalamata olives, crumbled feta, and a homemade Greek dressing built on fresh lemon, red wine vinegar, and oregano. Fresh parsley and dill finish it off and give it that distinctly Greek flavor you don’t get from bottled dressing. Make it the night before a cookout, pack it for lunches all week, or serve it as a side dish alongside grilled chicken or seafood, it holds up beautifully either way. If you like orzo salads you also might like this Chickpea Orzo Salad Recipe, Summer Orzo Pasta Salad or this Tomato Feta Orzo Salad.
Why This Recipe Works
There are a lot of Greek pasta salad recipes out there. Here is what makes this one worth making.
• It improves overnight. Orzo absorbs the dressing as it chills, and the vegetables soften just enough to meld with the herbs and feta. Making it the day before is not just allowed, it is recommended.
• The dressing is built to cling. Lemon juice, red wine vinegar, honey, garlic, and oregano creates a balanced vinaigrette that soaks into the orzo instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
• Budget-Friendly. This salad uses affordable, staple ingredients that stretch to feed a group. For another budget friendly salad try this Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad with Feta.
Recipe Ingredients You’ll Need
Please see the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and instructions.
- Pasta: I used orzo pasta in this salad. I like how it is small and compliments the other ingredients and lets them shine.
- Vegetables: There is a variety of vegetables that I used. This orzo salad has cherry tomatoes, english cucumbers, red onion and kalamata olives.
- Cheese: I love adding feta cheese. Try to find a block of cheese and freshly crumble it yourself. You will love the creamy texture!
- Herbs: Fresh herbs are added to this salad to finish it off and add flavor. I added fresh parsley and fresh dill.
- Dressing: The dressing is similar to a traditional Greek dressing using a good quality extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, honey, garlic and dried oregano.
Recipe Modifications:
- Beans: Add chickpeas, white beans, or black beans for protein and heartiness.
- Cheese: Feta is classic, but goat cheese works too, or skip the cheese entirely.
- Vegetables: Try bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, celery, radish, roasted red peppers, Easy Marinated Tomatoes or artichoke hearts.
- Fresh Herbs: Fresh dill is key, but basil and mint are great additions.
- Nuts: Add toasted pine nuts, almonds, or walnuts for crunch.
- Grains: Swap orzo with quinoa or couscous.
- Spices: Boost flavor with Greek seasoning, cayenne, crushed red pepper, or paprika.
- Extras: Mix in pickled red onions, Sumac Onions (Easy Lebanese Condiment), marinated or sun-dried tomatoes, olives, banana peppers, or pepperoncinis.
How to Make this Greek Orzo Salad
Step 1. Cook the Orzo: Cook the orzo pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool it down.
Step 2. Mix Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl combine the cooked orzo, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, kalamata olives, creamy feta cheese, red onion, and parsley.
Step 3. Mix Together Dressing Ingredients: In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
Step 4. Toss Salad in Dressing: Pour the dressing over the orzo salad and toss gently to combine, ensuring all ingredients are coated.
Step 5. Refrigerate and Serve: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Taste and add more greek salad dressing to your liking. Before serving, give the salad a final toss and garnish with additional parsley. Serve alongside your favorite meal and store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
If you like pasta salad recipes try this Mediterranean Bow Tie Pasta Salad or this Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta Salad.
Make Ahead & Storage
- This salad is an ideal make-ahead dish. The flavors deepen as it chills, so making it a few hours or even the night before you plan to serve it gives you the best results.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Before serving leftovers, add the reserved dressing or a small drizzle of olive oil and toss gently to refresh. If the salad still tastes flat after chilling, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of salt will bring it back.
- This salad does not freeze well. The orzo and vegetables lose their texture once thawed, so stick to refrigerator storage only.
What to Pair with this Orzo Salad
- A few other dishes I like to serve with this salad are these Mediterranean Baked Turkey Meatballs, Moroccan Chicken Thighs or these Grilled Chicken Thighs with Greek Marinade.
- I love to pair this salad with seafood like this Air Fryer Cod, Black Sea Bass or this Baked Cod with Lemon Sauce.
- Beef is another nice pairing. I often do this Grilled Flank Steak with Dry Rub, Grilled Beef Kofta Kebabs or these Mediterranean Beef Kabobs.
Recipe FAQ
Cook the orzo to al dente, pull it about 1 minute before the package says it is done. It will continue to soften slightly as it chills and absorbs the dressing. Rinsing under cold water immediately after draining stops the cooking and keeps the texture firm. Overcooked orzo turns gummy in a cold salad, so err on the side of slightly underdone when you drain it.
No, add about half the dressing before chilling and reserve the rest for serving. Orzo absorbs liquid as it sits, so a salad that looks perfectly dressed right after mixing can taste dry an hour later. Adding the reserved dressing just before serving keeps every bite bright and coated. If the salad still tastes flat after chilling, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice brings it back quickly.
More Greek Recipes to Try
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Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of dry orzo pasta {try whole wheat if you can find it}
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 of an English cucumber, sliced
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Cook the orzo pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool it down. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the cooked orzo, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, red onion, and parsley.
- In a small bowl or mason jar mix the olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the half of the dressing over the orzo salad and toss gently to combine, ensuring all ingredients are coated.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Add more dressing as needed.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Before serving add more dressing if desired and give the salad a final toss and garnish with additional parsley and dill. Serve chilled and store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make this salad up to 24 hours in advance for the best flavor. The orzo absorbs the dressing as it chills and the herbs and feta meld together in a way that only improves with time.
- Add only half the dressing before refrigerating. Reserve the rest to toss in right before serving since orzo continues to absorb liquid as it sits. If the salad tastes flat after chilling, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a small pinch of salt will bring it back.
- For the best texture, cook the orzo to al dente and rinse immediately under cold water. This stops the cooking and keeps the orzo from turning gummy in the salad.
- Buy a block of feta and crumble it yourself. Pre-crumbled feta is drier and less creamy. A freshly crumbled block gives you bigger, creamier pieces that hold their texture.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Before serving leftovers, add a drizzle of olive oil or the reserved dressing and toss gently to refresh.
- To make it a complete meal, add grilled chicken, grilled shrimp, or chickpeas.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This salad is perfect. Always a crowd pleaser. Packed with flavor!
Made this for my husband and he loved it. Making it today for a wedding. I have 3 lbs of orzo!!!
Oh wow-that is a lot of orzo!! That is wonderful that he liked it. I hope everyone at the wedding enjoys it too!
This was awesome!
Thanks! So glad you liked it.
This looks so incredibly good! I love Greek food! My favorite salads have a ton of color in them, especially in the warmer months, so this one is definitely going to be happening for lunch and dinner next week. Pinning!
Thanks Anna! It is one of my favorite summer pasta salads. I like to also add grilled chicken for a hearty dinner or lunch. Let me know if you try it!
This looks awesome and perfect for summer. I’ll look for a substitute for the pepperoncini.
Can’t wait to try the salad dressing recipe.
Hi Mia! Thanks for stopping by. You can omit the pepperocinis if you don’t like them. I know a lot of people don’t like olives or the pepperocini so you can definitely leave those out. You can also try roasted red peppers, artichokes or even banana peppers for a little salty, vinegar flavor.
Orzo is fabulous in pasta salads and I just love all the flavor in this. Pinning!
Thanks Valerie! I love orzo in pasta salads too.
We eat a TON of greek salad in our house, I love the addition of orzo (and a new homemade dressing recipe)!
Thanks Holly!
Orzo is so addicting, it’s like the best of pasta and rice. I love your photos and love this recipe. Pinning!
I agree! It is one of my favorite pastas when making side dishes and pasta salads. Thanks so much!
Orzo is such a perfect pairing with Greek flavors! I love this pasta salad! Pinned!
Agreed! Thanks Mariah!
Love orzo salads! The flavors in this one sound wonderful!
Thanks Jessica!