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Greek Orzo Salad Recipe

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4.3 from 84 reviews

A vibrant and refreshing Greek Orzo Salad featuring tender orzo pasta, crisp cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, colorful bell peppers, chickpeas, and crumbled feta cheese, all tossed in a zesty red wine vinaigrette with lemon and fresh oregano. Perfect as a light lunch or a flavorful side dish.

  • Total Time: 18 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

Pasta

  • 1 pound orzo

Vegetables & Legumes

  • 1 large English cucumber (sliced in half lengthwise then cut into half moons)
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved)
  • 1/2 cup kalamata olives (pitted and sliced in half)
  • 1 small red bell pepper (seeds removed and diced)
  • 1 small green bell pepper (seeds removed and diced)
  • 1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas (drained, rinsed, and patted dry)
  • 1 small red onion (diced)

Cheese

  • 1 8 ounce container feta cheese (crumbled)

Dressing

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (finely grated)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano (finely chopped) or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (plus more to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons kalamata olives (finely chopped)

Instructions

  1. Cook the Orzo: Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes.
  2. Drain and Cool: Drain the cooked pasta and rinse thoroughly under cold water until the orzo is completely cool. This stops the cooking process and prevents sticking.
  3. Prepare for Mixing: Transfer the cooled orzo to a large serving bowl and set aside while you prepare the vegetables and dressing.
  4. Prepare the Vegetables: Slice the English cucumber into half moons, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the red and green bell peppers, dice the red onion, and rinse and pat dry the chickpeas. Slice the kalamata olives in half.
  5. Make the Red Wine Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, chopped oregano, granulated sugar, salt, ground black pepper, and finely chopped kalamata olives until the dressing is fully emulsified.
  6. Toss Dressing and Orzo: Pour the prepared vinaigrette over the orzo in the large bowl and stir well to coat the pasta evenly with the dressing.
  7. Add Vegetables and Cheese: Add the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red and green bell peppers, chickpeas, red onion, remaining kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese to the orzo. Gently toss everything together until well combined. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if desired.
  8. Chill or Serve: Serve the salad immediately for best freshness, or cover and refrigerate to chill until needed. The salad can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Stir gently before serving again.

Notes

  • For best flavor, use fresh oregano, but dried oregano works well in a pinch.
  • Rinsing the cooked orzo under cold water helps to stop the cooking process and cools it down for the salad.
  • This salad keeps well in the fridge and flavors tend to meld beautifully after a few hours.
  • Optional additions include fresh parsley or a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts for extra texture.
  • Adjust salt and pepper seasoning after mixing all ingredients, as feta and olives add saltiness.
  • Author: Madelynn
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Greek
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Find it online: https://allyumcooks.com/greek-orzo-salad-recipe/