Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad (Printable)
Bright orzo salad with tomatoes, cucumber, feta, and lemon-olive oil dressing. Ready in 25 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 cup orzo pasta, uncooked
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - ½ small red onion, finely minced
06 - ¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
→ Cheese
07 - ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
→ Fresh Herbs
08 - ⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped (optional)
→ Lemon-Olive Oil Dressing
11 - ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
16 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# How-To Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook orzo according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to halt cooking; set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and Kalamata olives.
03 - Add the cooled orzo to the bowl with the vegetables and toss to combine.
04 - In a small jar or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
05 - Pour the dressing over the orzo and vegetable mixture. Toss gently until evenly coated.
06 - Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley, basil, and mint (if using).
07 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
08 - Serve chilled or at room temperature, garnished with additional herbs or feta if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dressing comes together in about thirty seconds and tastes like something you would pay good money for at a deli.
- It holds up beautifully in the fridge, making it one of those rare salads that is actually better the next day.
02 -
- Rinsing the orzo under cold water is not optional here, because leftover heat will continue cooking the pasta until it collapses into a gummy mess.
- The salad tastes dramatically better after a short rest in the fridge, so resist the urge to dig in immediately if you can help it.
03 -
- Dice all the vegetables to roughly the same size as the orzo so every forkful delivers a balanced bite instead of one overwhelming ingredient.
- Make the dressing in a jar instead of a bowl so you can simply shake, pour, and store any leftover dressing without dirtying a whisk.