This tasty Mediterranean Orzo Salad is filled with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and bell peppers all tossed with a zesty vinaigrette dressing.
Perfect served as a side dish or top with a grilled chicken breast as a main dish.
Greek pasta salad
This salad is a refreshing and flavorful Mediterranean orzo pasta recipe that is a perfectly delicious salad. Orzo, which is a small, rice-shaped pasta, is the star of this dish.
This tasty dish combines al dente orzo pasta with a colorful array of fresh ingredients and Mediterranean flavors. Juicy cucumbers, ripe tomatoes, crunchy red onions, tangy kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and vibrant red bell peppers come together with parsley and crumbled feta cheese.
Whether enjoyed as a main course or a side dish, this recipe is sure to please!
Key ingredients
Ingredients
This section reviews the best ingredients and substitutions for this recipe. For an exact list of ingredients and quantities, check the recipe card below.
- Orzo - A rice-shaped pasta that's perfect for use in salads. You could also use small shell pasta, bow tie pasta or other small pasta.
- Bell Pepper - Use a sweet bell pepper - choose whatever color you have on hand - red, yellow or orange.
- Cucumbers - Use mini-sized cucumbers or English cucumbers
- Tomatoes - Cherry tomatoes or small tomatoes. Halve the cherry tomatoes. If using regular tomatoes, chop them into small chunks. I scoop out the seeds of the larger tomatoes.
- Onion - Use a red onion sliced into thin strips
- Olives - Kalamata olives are sliced in half or in quarters. You could also use black olives if you prefer.
- Sun-dried Tomatoes - I use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and slice them into thin strips.
- Feta Cheese - Adds just the right amount of tanginess to the salad. Use crumbled feta. You could also use shredded parmesan cheese for a different flavor profile.
- Fresh Parsley - Use flat-leaf Italian parsley.
- Homemade Dressing - Easily whipped together in no time at all. You'll need a fresh lemon, olive oil, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, seasonings, and a touch of sugar. The sugar helps balance all the flavors.
Step-by-step directions
How to make it
In this section, I share step-by-step photos, cooking methods, techniques, and a general overview. For detailed instructions, temperatures, and timing, check the printable recipe card below.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain well and place in a large bowl.
- While pasta is cooking, make the dressing. Add oil, lemon juice, zest, dijon, sugar, and seasoning into a cup and whisk together.
- Pour dressing over pasta
- Fold in fresh tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions, sun-dried tomatoes, and parsley
- Add feta and gently fold into pasta
- Serve right away or cover and refrigerate
Recipe tips
- Cook the pasta al dente or to your liking
- Rinse the pasta in cold water to quickly cool the pasta
- Fold everything together with a spatula to help avoid crushing the ingredients
- If making ahead of time, stir just before serving. The dressing may settle a bit towards the bottom.
- Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days
Frequently asked questions
When covered and refrigerated, the salad should last up to 5 days.
Serving suggestions
More delicious pasta salads
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Couscous Pasta Salad
- Pasta with Peas Salad
- Thai Pasta Salad
- Pearl Couscous and Spinach Salad
- Tortellini Salad
- Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious salad recipes!
Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salad
- 8 ounces orzo pasta (about 1 ¼ cups uncooked pasta)
- 1 cup cucumbers (chopped)
- ½ cup tomatoes (chopped)
- ½ cup red onion (sliced)
- ½ cup kalamata olives (pitted and halved)
- ¼ cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes (sliced into thin strips)
- 1 cup red bell pepper
- ¼ cup Italian parsley (chopped)
- 1 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain well and place in a large bowl.8 ounces orzo pasta
Dressing
- While pasta is cooking, make the dressing. Add oil, lemon juice, zest, dijon, sugar, and seasoning into a cup and whisk together.½ cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salad
- Pour dressing over pasta
- Fold in fresh tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions, sun-dried tomatoes, and parsley1 cup cucumbers, ½ cup tomatoes, ½ cup red onion, ½ cup kalamata olives, ¼ cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, 1 cup red bell pepper, ¼ cup Italian parsley
- Add feta and gently fold into pasta1 cup feta cheese
- Serve right away or cover and refrigerate
Notes
- Cook the pasta to al dente or to your liking
- Rinse the pasta in cold water to quickly cool the pasta
- Fold everything together with a spatula to help avoid crushing the ingredients
- If making ahead of time, stir just before serving. The dressing may settle a bit towards the bottom.
- Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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