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This Mediterranean Pasta Salad is perfect for your next cookout, backyard BBQ or meal-prep for the week. Your favorite Mediterranean inspired ingredients are mixed together to create a hearty, delicious orzo pasta salad. It mixes together fresh veggies, roasted red peppers, olives, orzo pasta, feta cheese, fresh herbs and a zesty Greek dressing to create the perfect summer side!
By now you probably know my love for orzo pasta salads. Along with my love for any sort of mediterranean flavors. Today’s Mediterranean Pasta Salad is the marriage of both of those and it is hands down one of my favorites.
If you like orzo pasta salads you also have to try my Summer Orzo Pasta Salad, Fall Orzo Pasta Salad, Greek Orzo Pasta Salad, Caprese Orzo Salad or my Mexican Street Corn Orzo Salad.
This easy pasta salad mixes orzo with fresh tomatoes, cucumber, roasted red peppers, red onion, kalamata olives, Castelvetrano olives, fresh herbs, creamy feta cheese and a Greek dressing. It is a great way to use summer produce from your garden or farmers market.
Don’t skip the fresh herbs! They take this salad to the next level. The pairing of all of those flavors is just so good. It would be perfect simple side dish to bring to a backyard barbecue, summer parties, a picnic or make it for meal-prep and eat it for lunches or dinners. Nothing beats a cold pasta salad on a hot day!
Why We Love this Mediterranean Pasta Salad
If you like pasta salads, this one is for you! Here is why we love it:
• Easy Preparation: This Mediterranean Pasta Salad is easy to prepare and just requires chopping and cooking the orzo. You can even prep this ahead of time by chopping and prepping the ingredients and then assembling when ready to serve.
• Great for a Crowd: When you need a dish to serve a big group this is the one for you! It is the perfect summer side dish for a picnic or BBQ.
• Versatile: Whether you’re meal‑prepping, hosting a BBQ, or need a crowd‑pleasing side, this salad comes together quickly, adapts well with proteins or extra veggies, and tastes even better after marinating a few hours in the fridge.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s an overview of the simple ingredients we’re using. Jump to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and printable instructions.
- orzo: I love using orzo in pasta salads but you can honestly use any pasta you like. I find the small to medium sized works best.
- spinach: fresh baby spinach is added to this salad to add nutrition and color. If you don’t like greens in your pasta salad, leave it out or you could use arugula.
- vegetables: vegetables add crunch and nutrition to the salad. I added english cucumber, roasted red peppers, cherry tomatoes and red onion.
- olives: in my house we love olives. I added kalamata olives and Castelvetrano green olives but you could leave them out or use a different variety of olives if you want like black olives.
- cheese: creamy feta cheese is a great addition to Mediterranean style pasta salads. If you can find a block of feta and crumble it yourself that is an even better option.
- fresh herbs: fresh basil, fresh mint and fresh parsley add great flavor to salads. I would try not to use dried herbs unless you absolutely have to.
- Dressing: This dressing mixes together red wine vinegar, mustard and lemon juice.
Recipe Modifications
- Beans: Add chickpeas, white, red, or black beans for extra protein and texture.
- Cheese: Feta is my favorite, but goat or mozzarella cheese also work well.
- Vegetables: Mix in any veggies like carrots, bell peppers, radish, celery, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, or pickled red onions.
- Nuts & Seeds: Add crunch with sesame or sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, or cashews.
- Protein: Protein is also a great addition to this salad and can create a complete meal. Some options to add are greek shrimp, rotisserie chicken, harissa chicken, turmeric chicken, canned tuna, baked salmon, Grilled Flank Steak with Dry Rub or even tofu.
How Do You Make a Mediterranean Pasta Salad?
Step 1. Cook the Orzo: Cook the orzo according to the package to al dente. Remove, drain and rinse under cold water too keep it from cooking any longer. Drain the water completely and set aside.
Step 2. Mix Together Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl add the spinach, roasted red pepper, cucumber, red onion, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, Castelvetrano green olives, basil, mint and parsley and mix well.
Step 3. Create the Dressing: In a mason jar or salad dressing container mix together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, lemon juice, honey, dijon mustard, salt and pepper.
Step 4. Add Orzo: Add the orzo to the large bowl with the salad ingredients and mix well.
Step 5. Add the Dressing: Pour half of the dressing over the pasta salad and mix well. Taste and add more dressing to your liking or save the remaining dressing for when you serve the salad.
Step 6. Add Cheese: Add in the feta cheese and gently too.
Step 7. Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat. When you are ready to eat taste the salad and add the remaining salad dressing. Gently toss. Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve. The salad will last up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Storage Tips
This salad holds up really well and makes a great leftover salad. It can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I like to add a bit more dressing when I eat it again because it often gets soaked up by the chickpeas and vegetables.
Recipe Tips
The simple vinaigrette adds a lot of flavor to the salad. Allow the salad to sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together. This also gives the orzo time to absorb the dressing.
This salad is best served cold, so make sure to refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve.
Make sure to rinse the al dente pasta with cold water to stop it from cooking.
More Salad Recipes
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Lemon Arugula Salad Recipe with Parmesan Cheese
Sides
Italian Pasta Salad
Salads
Caprese Orzo Pasta Salad
Mediterranean
Easy Lebanese Salad
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Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 16 ounces orzo pasta,, cooked according to package to al dente
- 3 cups baby spinach, torn into small pieces
- 1 cup roasted red peppers, drained, chopped
- 1/2 of an english cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 6 ounces pitted kalamata olives, halved
- 6 ounces pitted Castelvetrano green olives, halved
- 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/4 cup mint, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
For the dressing:
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons oregano, dried
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 teaspoons honey dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the orzo according to the package to al dente. Remove, drain and rinse under cold water too keep it from cooking any longer. Drain the water completely and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add the spinach, roasted red pepper, cucumber, red onion, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, Castelvetrano green olives, basil, mint and parsley and mix well.
- In a mason jar or salad dressing container mix together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, lemon juice, honey, dijon mustard, salt and pepper.
- Add the orzo to the large bowl with the salad ingredients and mix well.
- Pour half of the dressing over the salad and mix well. Taste and add more dressing to your liking or save the remaining dressing for when you serve the salad. Add in the feta cheese and gently too.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat. When you are ready to eat taste the salad and add the remaining salad dressing. Gently toss. Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve. The salad will last up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Notes
- Feel free to add other ingredients like bell peppers, radish, carrots, celery, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes or banana peppers.
- If you are making this salad ahead of time I suggest adding half of the dressing and mixing well then adding the remaining dressing before serving the salad.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is a great summer side dish for any BBQ or picnic. It holds up well and is a great use of summer produce.