Greek Orzo Salad

Greek orzo salad is a light cold pasta salad full of tender orzo pasta, bright lemon, flavorful herbs, and lots of crunchy colorful vegetables, all balanced with salty olives and feta cheese. It’s the perfect spring or summer salad, great for a BBQ side dish, and is quick and easy to make.

 

Why We Love Greek Orzo Salad

• Delicious Light Lemony Flavor– Packed with bright flavors and crunchy vegetables, it’s the perfect light compliment to many meals.
• Perfect For Parties– Make this orzo pasta salad to feed a crowd, it’s great for BBQ’s, baby showers and spring parties. The colorful bowl looks so pretty on any party table, it’s the perfect side dish to share.
• Make It Ahead– This easy pasta salad gets even better overnight! Make this dish the night before, then top it with a sprinkle of feta and herbs right before you eat.
• Great For Meal Prep– In the summer I often make cold salads like this one and we eat from them for several days. It makes warm summer night dinners and lunches a breeze, it’s one of my favorite recipes for warm days!

To switch up your pasta salad also try my Aunt’s Italian Pasta Salad recipe, which has a different set of flavors and is also delicious as a cold side. Also check out my lemony Greek potatoes. Another delicious side, these warm garlicky lemon potatoes work as a side dish with so many different main dishes!

Try this Greek Orzo Salad recipe with my Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs or with my Baked Bruschetta Chicken, delicious! Adding a little more protein, like grilled chicken breast, also quickly makes this a full meal.

Ingredients for Greek Orzo Pasta Salad

For the salad

• orzo pasta – dried orzo pasta
• bell peppers – chopped bell pepper, red, yellow or orange
• English cucumber – seeds removed with a spoon and chopped
• cherry tomatoes – sliced in half
• kalamata olives – sliced, drained, you can use briny olives or olives packed in olive oil
• feta cheese – crumbled
• Fresh parsley to garnish – optional, or can use another fresh herb like oregano

For the dressing

• olive oil
• lemon juice only
• red wine vinegar
• honey
• fresh parsley diced finely
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• dried oregano
• salt
• black pepper

How To Make Greek Orzo Pasta Salad

For the salad

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the dried orzo according to the package directions, usually 7-10 minutes until soft but still al dente. Drain and rinse pasta immediately with cold water to stop the orzo from continuing to cook.
• While the pasta cooks chop the bell pepper into bite-sized pieces. Use a spoon to remove the seeds from the cucumber, then chop the cucumber into bite-sized pieces. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half.

• Mix together the orzo pasta, bell pepper, cucumber, tomatoes and sliced black olives until well combined.

For the dressing

• In a small bowl whisk together the ingredients for the dressing including oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, honey, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt and pepper. With a whisk, give the dressing a good mix until everything combines well.

• Mix the fresh parsley into the dressing. Add the dressing to the pasta salad.

• Mix in a large mixing bowl until everything is combined.

• Sprinkle with feta cheese right before serving and more parsley if desired, then enjoy!
• This recipe is best when served cold and is even better the next day. Letting the flavors meld together in the fridge for a little while (at least 30 minutes) before serving makes it taste even better but is not required.

What Is Orzo Pasta?

Orzo pasts is a short small pasta that is thin and rice-shaped. Often orzo is confused for rice because of its small shape but is made and cooked like dry pasta.

Orzo gets its name from the Italian word for barley (according to the Collins Dictionary), but tastes just like other pasta does. It can be found in regular and whole wheat varieties. Orzo is used in Italy in soups commonly but is found more commonly in a variety of Greek dishes.

Are Orzo and Risotto The Same Thing?

Risotto and orzo are sometimes also confused. Risotto is a dish made from arborio rice that is similar in size and shape. This dish is made from creamy rice though, not pasta. Arborio rice can sometimes be substituted into dishes that use orzo depending on the dish, but orzo can’t always be substituted for arborio rice. Rissoto would be tricker to substitute into this dish for orzo.

Are Orzo And Couscous The Same Thing?

Orzo and couscous are not the same thing. Orzo is a small-shaped pasta, and is technically Italian. Couscous is a rolled wheat product that is technically made of similar ingredients as pasta, but instead of being shaped it is rolled into tiny, irregular-shaped pieces. Couscous is much smaller and absorbs liquids much quicker than orzo. It is often found in Mediterranean and African dishes.

There is also another variety of couscous called Israeli couscous, also known as pearl couscous. This is a larger irregular-shaped couscous but is still smaller than orzo. This larger Israeli couscous is also technically made of similar ingredients to pasta.

Couscous can be substituted for orzo in this dish. Follow the package directions for cooking the couscous before mixing it with the dressing and vegetables.

Do You Have To Remove The Cucumber Seeds?

Removing the center of the cucumber which includes the seeds and the watery inside is an important prep step. It removes the excess water from the cucumber. If left in the dressing will quickly become too liquidy.

What Other Vegetables Can I Substitute In This Greek Orzo Salad?

This orzo pasta salad is pretty flexible, and you can easily swap some fresh veggies (or some jarred too!) already in your fridge or pantry. The more vegetables you swap the less of a Greek feel this pasta salad tends to have, but that doesn’t mean it won’t still be delicious. Here are a few vegetables to try:

• Chickpeas– rinsed, drained and dried well before adding to the salad
• Roasted red peppers– diced and drained them well if they are packaged in water
• Olives – green, black or your favorite!
• Zucchini- This veggie is an easy swap for cucumber, or just as a delicious addition. Add this veggie raw to the salad.
• Yellow Summer Squash– Similar to zucchini, this vegetable is easily diced and added to this salad.
• Dill– fresh dill is an excellent substitute for the fresh parsley
• Fresh Spinach- Fresh spinach can be diced and added easily, I recommend starting with a cup.

You can also add some chicken on top of this tender orzo pasta salad for a complete lunch or light dinner.

Can I Swap Out The Pasta?

Yes, you can swap out another small pasta. Ditalini is a great choice. You could also use another type of pasta like a larger penne, farfalle, fusilli, or a rotini in this pasta salad.

How Long Does This Greek Orzo Salad Last?

This salad will last for 3 days in the refrigerator before some of the vegetables will start to taste a little less fresh. Store leftovers in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator.

Can You Make This Greek Orzo Salad Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can absolutely make this Greek orzo salad ahead of time. I often make this pasta salad the night before. Leaving it in the refrigerator overnight helps the flavors meld together even more.

If making this salad in advance, wait to sprinkle the feta cheese and any additional fresh herb garnish on top just before serving for the best flavor.