Greek Orzo Salad (Printable)

Mediterranean orzo pasta salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, feta, and a bright lemon-oregano dressing. Serve cold or at room temperature.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 cup orzo pasta
02 - 1 teaspoon salt for boiling water

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
05 - ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
06 - ¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

→ Cheese

07 - ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Fresh Herbs

08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - ½ teaspoon salt
15 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook according to package instructions until al dente, approximately 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled orzo, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, parsley, and dill.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, dried oregano, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Refrigerate for 10 minutes before serving for optimal flavor development. Serve cold or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It gets better as it sits, soaking up all that lemony oregano goodness in the fridge.
  • You can toss it together in less time than it takes to decide what to watch on TV.
  • It travels like a dream and never gets soggy or sad at potlucks.
  • The salty feta and briny olives make every bite feel like a vacation.
02 -
  • Rinsing the orzo after cooking is not optional, skip it and youll end up with a gummy clump instead of a salad.
  • Dress the salad while the orzo is still slightly warm if you want it to absorb more flavor, or wait until its completely cool if you prefer a lighter coating.
  • Feta varies wildly in saltiness, so taste your salad before adding extra salt or you might overdo it.
03 -
  • If your feta is too crumbly, buy a block and cube it yourself for bigger, creamier bites.
  • Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the dressing if you like a little heat.
  • Toast the oregano in a dry pan for thirty seconds before adding it to the dressing for a deeper, more aromatic flavor.
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