Greek Orzo Pasta Salad- When thinking of side dishes for the summer, my "chef brain" always wants to step a little outside the box. Anyone can make the usual salad recipes, (not that there's anything wrong with them!), but people look to the chefs in the world to "shake things up", so to speak. This Greek orzo salad really rises to this challenge perfectly.
Orzo pasta is shaped to resemble rice, therefore creating a unique texture and appearance in this pasta salad. The rest of the ingredients are favorites from the fabulously fresh and flavorful bounty that is Greek cuisine. Tangy and salty brined Kalamata olives, tart red onion, sweetly astringent oregano, and luscious extra virgin olive oil, to name a few.
We have been making and serving this Greek Orzo Pasta Salad to our friends and loved ones for years, and it has never failed to please. It's a very healthy alternative to a mayo-based macaroni salad, with its base dressing being just olive oil and fresh lemon juice. As it's written, it's vegetarian, but it can be vegan by omitting the cheese. Whether served as a side for a barbecue or accompanied with protein of your choice as a light lunch, we think you'll really enjoy this pasta salad!
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Ingredients
- Orzo pasta - this unique pasta shape resembles large rice grains and has a wonderful texture.
- Kalamata olives - we love these olives for their rich and complex flavor.
- Feta cheese - the crumbly texture and saltiness adds the perfect touch to this salad.
- Oregano - we love using fresh oregano from our garden in the Spring and Summer months.
- Lemons - fresh lemons are one of our favorite ingredients.
- Extra virgin olive oil - it's really important to use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil for this recipe.
- Salt
- Black Pepper - we always use freshly ground black pepper.
- Cucumber
- Fresh garlic (from our garden)
- Cherry tomatoes
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Instructions
Cook and strain orzo. Getting this cooked properly without over or under doing it can be difficult. 7 to 10 minutes should do it, remember that it will continue to cook through for a minute also. Rinse with cold water to chill thoroughly.
Pick the oregano from the stems, and rough chop as shown.
Small dice all remaining ingredients.
Toss all of the ingredients together and. "season to taste "with the lemon juice and olive oil mixture mentioned below in the recipe.
Helpful Hint
This recipe works really well made ahead of time. The flavors have the opportunity to meld together and the whole salad is much more flavorful! So go ahead and make a big batch of this delicious salad ahead of your next BBQ! It will taste all the better the next day. Make sure to stir it up before serving and adjust the flavor as needed with a little more olive oil and lemon juice.
Substitutions
- Gluten free - using gluten-free pasta or rice would be a great option.
- Vegan - plant based cheese or simply eliminating the cheese would make this recipe vegan and dairy free.
Variations
- Pasta - you could use another pasta shape if orzo is not available.
- Veggies - add whatever raw veggies you prefer! We would recommend trying some bell peppers or even a few spicy peppers.
- Cheese - if feta cheese is not for you try some aged goat cheese!
Storage
This salad will store well in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Chef Tip
We recommend rinsing the pasta under cold water after cooking it. It cools it down quickly as well as removes some of the starch. Separating the small pasta pieces and eliminating the tendency for it to clump together.
Of course, you can this recipe would work really well with a bow tie pasta shape.
More Inspiration
Recipe
Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
Equipment
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 6 quart stock pot for cooking pasta
- 1 Chef Knife
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Measuring cup set
- 1 strainer
- 1 Rubber Spatula
- 1 citrus juicer
- 1 small bowl
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
- 1 Lb orzo pasta cooked
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 4-5 lemons juiced
- 2 cloves crushed chopped garlic
- ½ cup sliced red onion
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 average sized cucumber cut into cubes
- 1 cup kalamata olives cut in half
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese a little more for finished garnish
- 2 tbsps. fresh chopped oregano
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the orzo pasta in rapidly boiling salted water until al dente.
- Strain the orzo and rinse with cold water
- In a large mixing bowl combine all of the ingredients except the lemon juice and olive oil
- Juice the lemons into a small bowl, add the olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Whisk to combine and adjust the lemon or salt and black pepper to your taste.
- Pour the dressing over the prepared ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, top with crumbled feta cheese and enjoy!
Chris says
Fresh easy salad
rushingwaters says
great way to introduce the family to orzo!
Jason Miller says
It is such a simple and quick pasta to cook, we are glad that the family enjoyed it.