A Summer Orzo Salad to make again and again! My Greek Orzo Pasta Salad recipe highlights the season’s freshest veggies featuring crisp cucumber, juicy tomatoes, salty kalamata olives, creamy feta cheese and toasted (yes, toasted!) orzo pasta. A snappy lemony Greek dressing ties all the flavors together. Versatile and delicious as a side dish, lunch, or main with only 30 minutes hands on time to make, it’s easy to whip up!
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A Greek Orzo Pasta Salad You’ll Make Over and Over
The freshest summer veggies dazzle in this easy to make Greek Orzo Salad. I’ve been making this salad and Greek Pita Sandwiches on repeat over the past month thanks in part to cucumbers and juicy tomatoes that have taken off in the garden. Sometimes I’ll toss some drained canned chickpeas into the mix if I want to add an extra hearty salad.
But best of all, this orzo pasta salad can be made ahead and enjoyed for daaaayyys!
This Recipe Is
- loaded with flavor
- classic
- fresh. crisp. creamy.
We love this pasta salad recipe for lunch but it’s also tasty as a side with your favorite summer mains.
If you love hearty Salad Recipes, you’ll enjoy this summer classic!
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How to Make Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
step by step
A technique I learned from Ina Garten when prepping orzo is to toast it first. It brings out the pasta’s nutty notes, elevating the flavor of any recipe it’s used in. I include this technique in my popular Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad and Roasted Veggie Lemon Garlic Orzo Pasta recipe. It only takes about three minutes and is worth the effort. Then, while the orzo is cooking, prep the veggies.
Plan Ahead: Allow the salad to set at least 30 minutes at room temperature before sharing so that the pasta can soak up the Greek salad dressing and the flavors marry.
Hang on to those cucumber seeds and their juices. They’re refreshing and perfect in a green smoothie!
Traci’s Tips
- Olives: look for pitted kalamata olives. This will save some time during prep.
- Feta: there are many to choose from! I like sheep’s milk feta in Greek orzo salad, as it tends to be sharper and creamier than cow’s milk feta. It’s also a classic choice for Greek salads. I like Mt. Vikos brand which is a blend of sheep and goat milk.
- Make it Vegan: omit the feta and include a favorite vegan feta.
Greek Orzo Pasta Salad with Creamy Feta
Ingredients
For the Orzo:
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 1/4 cups (235 grams) Orzo Pasta
- 1 1/2 cups (340 grams) Vegetable Broth
For the Dressing:
For the Salad:
- 2 pounds (900 grams) Cherry Tomatoes , sliced in half, about 2 pints
- 1 pound (450 grams) Cucumber, garden or Kerby, sliced lengthwise, seeds scraped, cut into chunks.
- 1 1/2 cups (150 grams) Red Onion, sliced in 1/2 moons, larger pieces cut in half. about 3/4 of a large onion
- 1 1/2 cups (230 grams) Kalamata Olives, pitted, sliced in half or quartered
- 3/4 cup (170 grams) Feta Cheese, crumbled
- Fresh Basil, about a small handful, torn into pieces
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
For the Orzo:
- In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat until shimmering. Add the orzo and stir, coating the orzo thoroughly. Stir occasionally for about 3 minutes or until the orzo is toasty and golden. Pour in the vegetable broth. Be careful here because the broth will spit and sputter. Bring to a simmer, turn down the heat to low, cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for about five minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in 3 tablespoons of the dressing (see below). Rest the salad in the fridge while you finish preparing the veggies.
For the Dressing:
- In a lidded jar or small bowl shake/whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper until an emulsion forms. Set aside.
Put the Salad Together:
- To the large mixing bowl with the orzo, add the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, olives, feta and basil. Add a few twists of fresh ground pepper. Pour the remaining dressing over the salad and gently toss. Taste for salt and add more basil to taste. Share right away or store in the refrigerator.
To Store:
- Store in a lidded container for up to four days. This salad is freshest in appearance and cucumber crunch however, for up to two days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Made it? Leave a comment below!
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This was delicious. I saw fresh organic dandelion greens at the store so I decided to swap them for the spinach. I also added the chick peas and artichoke hearts. I will be making again!
Dandelion greens, chickpeas and artichoke hears sound amazing, Victoria! Thank you for your note, five star review and sharing your tips!
Since I have an excess of bread, I’m making a Greek Panzanella Salad. And I’m substituting fresh mint for the basil (it’s what I have), chopped artichoke hearts, and a chopped green bell pepper. So instead of boiling a pasta I’ll be toasting bread cubes (in garlic-infused EVOO). My dressing uses a lemon-infused EVOO, no mustard, olive juice and feta liquid instead of the vinegar, and plenty of oregano. I’m also toying with the idea of adding a pinch or so of masala chaat.
Oh my that sounds fabulous! Great idea, Hollis.
I’m so confused – is this a review of the Greek orzo pasta salad recipe?
Hi Sue! It’s her adaptation on the recipe.
Great salad! Made it for dinner yesterday and my husband gave it two thumbs up! Will be making this regularly, like so many of your recipes. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Victoria! Thank you for coming back and sharing your thoughts. SO happy to hear y’all enjoyed the recipe (two thumbs up – hooray!!).