Description
This easy Orzo Salad combines tender pasta with fresh veggies, salty olives, creamy feta, and a bright lemony dressing. It’s a quick, refreshing dish for lunch, dinner, or a side.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups dry orzo pasta
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 3 Persian cucumbers (diced)
- ½ red onion (finely chopped)
- ½ cup kalamata olives (pitted and sliced)
- 6 oz feta cheese (crumbled)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Step 1: Cook the orzo pasta following the package directions until it’s al dente. Drain it well and rinse with cold water to cool.
- Step 2: In a large bowl, mix the cooked orzo with cherry tomatoes, diced Persian cucumbers, red onion, kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese.
- Step 3: Add the chopped parsley to the bowl.
- Step 4: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
- Step 5: Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss everything together until well combined.
- Step 6: Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if you like. Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors blend.
Notes
Be sure to rinse the cooked orzo with cold water to stop the cooking and keep it from sticking. Use fresh vegetables for the best crunch and flavor. Chill the salad for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can blend nicely. This salad keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Boiling, Mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
Keywords: Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad, pasta salad, healthy side dish, vegetarian recipe, summer salad