Orzo Salad

This savory and zesty orzo salad features cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta cheese, spinach, and an Italian dressing. It's great for making ahead and sharing with the crowd at potlucks, barbecues, picnics, and cookouts!

Course Salad

Cuisine Greek, Italian, Mediterranean

Keyword orzo salad

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 407kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

Pasta

1 cup uncooked orzo

Salad dressing

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or more
½ teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salad ingredients

10 oz cherry or grape tomatoes (red and yellow) sliced in half
2 medium cucumbers quartered
⅓ cup pitted black olives sliced
⅓ cup pitted green olives sliced (I used Castelvetrano olives)
4 oz crumbled feta cheese
2 oz baby spinach

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook pasta

Cook 1 cup of orzo in 2 cups water for about 10 minutes on a simmer. Add small amounts of extra water if the orzo is still not cooked and the water is already absorbed. Once the pasta is done cooking (al dente), drain and rinse under cold running water in a fine mesh strainer.
While the orzo is cooking, proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Make dressing

Combine the salad dressing ingredients in a small mason jar. Whisk with a fork until emulsified.

Assemble the salad

In a large mixing bowl, add sliced cherry tomatoes, quartered cucumber slices, olives, and salad dressing. Mix the dressing thoroughly with the veggies.
Add drained and rinsed orzo, crumbled feta cheese, and baby spinach to the bowl with marinated veggies. Toss to combine—season with salt and pepper. Add more lemon juice if desired.

Notes

Helpful tips

Rinse cooked orzo under cold water in a fine mesh strainer before adding to the salad. You want pasta to stop cooking and prevent it from getting mushy.
Salad dressing options. Make a dressing from scratch or use store-bought Italian or Greek.
Veggies. Add mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichokes, or zucchini.
Add leafy greens, such as spinach or arugula.
Cheese. Other options besides feta are small Mozzarella balls (pearls), sliced Mozzarella, and cubed or grated Parmesan.
To make it gluten-free, use gf orzo, quinoa, jasmine rice, or the gluten-free pasta of your choice. Once cooked, rinse the pasta with cold water to prevent it from getting mushy. This is especially important for gluten-free pasta.
Make it dairy-free. Use dairy-free, vegan feta cheese instead of regular.
How to serve it? Serve it warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Storage Tips

You can store the leftovers refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
Make-ahead tip: Don't add the dressing and spinach if you plan on refrigerating the salad for a day or two. Add those right before serving.

Nutrition