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This simple Greek Orzo Salad is packed with all of your favorite Greek flavors! Tender orzo, crunchy cucumbers and red onion, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives and salty feta cheese all tossed together in a red wine vinaigrette. It’s perfect for lunch, dinner and will be a hit at summer barbecues!
This post and recipe have been updated since it was originally published on 2/17/2014
Greek and Mediterranean food really need to have their own category here on the blog. I’ve made so many recipes inspired by this cuisine that I’ve lost count.
Some of my favorite recipes that are full of Mediterranean flavors, aside from this orzo pasta salad are, Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce, Skillet Greek Lemon Chicken and Rice and this Mediterranean Lentil Salad.
I love everything from the fresh herbs and vegetables, the acidic, salty and briny flavors and the fact that I don’t feel stuffed and sluggish after eating these meals. Today I’m adding this Greek orzo pasta into the mix. It’s different from a lot of pasta salads in that it’s fresh and doesn’t feel heavy. It’s a great option to serve this summer!
Ingredient Notes for Greek Orzo Salad
- Orzo – Regular, whole wheat or gluten free can be used.
- English or Persian cucumber – These cucumber varieties are extra crisp, you don’t have to peel them, and the seeds are small and don’t have to be removed unless you want to remove them.
- Cherry tomatoes – Grape tomatoes, or any variety can be used. I like cherry tomatoes because they are small, sweet, and you only need to cut them in half.
- Red onion – Red onion is good for salads because it’s slightly sweeter and doesn’t have the harsh onion flavor that yellow and white onions have.
- Kalamata olives – Briny and they have a fruitier flavor than black olives. You can also use Castelvetrano or Niçoise as an alternative.
- Feta cheese – Use a block of feta cheese vs. pre-crumbled. The flavor and texture are much better.
- Flat leaf parsley – Adding a fresh herb brightens up the flavor of the pasta salad.
- Red wine vinegar – The acid for the vinaigrette. You can also swap vinegar for an equal amount of fresh lemon juice.
- Dijon mustard – Tangy and acts as an emulsifier for the vinaigrette.
- Dried oregano and garlic powder – I generally use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic in vinaigrette. I don’t enjoy the harsh flavor of raw garlic. If you like it use 1 small clove and grate it into the vinaigrette.
- Honey – Honey adds a touch of sweetness to the red wine vinaigrette and balances out the acidity.
How To Make Greek Orzo Salad
- Cook the orzo according to package instructions. Once it’s cooked, rinse it under cold water and drain. Generally I never rinse pasta, unless it’s for a cold pasta salad.
- While the orzo cooks chop all of the vegetables and parsley and put them in a large bowl.
- Whisk together all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette.
- Pour the cooled orzo into the serving bowl with the vegetables. Add in the feta and pour in the vinaigrette. Stir everything together until it’s combined and serve.
Make Ahead Instructions
The salad can be made in advance, but I would wait to add in the vinaigrette or make extra vinaigrette. Pasta absorbs salad dressing and sauces the longer it sits, so you may find it needs more the next day.
Substitutions For Orzo
If you don’t have orzo or can’t find it at the store, I recommend substituting with another small shaped pasta. Ditalini, macaroni, small shells or even Israeli couscous would all be good substitutions.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve it as a main dish vegetarian salad for lunch or dinner. If you want to make the salad heartier, I suggest adding a can of chickpeas or grilled chicken to the pasta salad.
- This Greek orzo salad goes great with these Greek lemon chicken skewers with tzatziki sauce.
- As a side dish to grilled salmon, chicken, shrimp, or these Greek meatballs with tzatziki sauce.
More Orzo Recipes
- Greek Meatballs and Orzo Skillet
- Summer Vegetable Orzo Salad
- Greek Chicken Orzo
- One Pot Parmesan Chicken, Spinach, and Orzo
- Spinach Orzo Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese
Did you make this Greek Orzo Salad? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Greek Orzo Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 1 English cucumber diced (Persian cucumbers work too)
- 1/3 cup diced red onion
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 3 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1/3 cup chopped kalamata olives
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Vinaigrette
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the orzo until al dente. Rinse and drain the orzo under cold water then pour it into a large serving bowl. Add the remaining salad ingredients in with the orzo.
- Whisk together all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette and pour over the salad. Stir together until everything is coated in the vinaigrette. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Good basic recipe. I modified the dressing by adding a spoonful of greek yogurt and mayo. I also added a can of chickpeas to the salad. I didn’t have orzo so I used pearl couscous. I made sure to seed and drain the cucumber and also set the cut tomatoes on paper towel for a bit so the salad wouldn’t be to wet as leftovers.
What a great fresh summer salad. I might have to try this winter to change things up.
I’m so glad you liked the salad! I make it throughout the years, love those Greek flavors!