Greek Orzo Salad (Printer-Friendly)

Fresh Mediterranean orzo pasta salad with tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese, and tangy lemon-oregano dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 cup orzo pasta
02 - 1 teaspoon salt for boiling water

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
05 - ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
06 - ¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced (optional)

→ Cheese

07 - ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Fresh Herbs

08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (optional)

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - ½ teaspoon salt
15 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

# How to Cook:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook according to package instructions until al dente, approximately 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the cooled orzo, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives if using, feta cheese, parsley, and dill.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Chill for 10 minutes before serving for optimal flavor development.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours, which means less last-minute stress before guests arrive.
  • The feta gets creamy and mingles with the dressing in a way that makes every bite feel indulgent without being heavy.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables look good at the market and it still turns out beautifully.
02 -
  • Rinsing the orzo under cold water is not optional, skipping this step leaves you with a gummy clump instead of a light, tossable salad.
  • The salad tastes bland if you dress it while the orzo is still warm because the heat evaporates the lemon juice and dilutes the olive oil.
  • Feta varies wildly in saltiness depending on the brand, so taste the salad before adding extra salt or you might end up with something too briny to fix.
03 -
  • Toast the dried oregano in a dry skillet for 30 seconds before adding it to the dressing, it wakes up the oils and makes the flavor more pronounced.
  • If your feta is too salty, soak the crumbles in cold water for ten minutes, then drain and pat dry before adding them to the salad.
  • Use a vegetable peeler to shave ribbons of cucumber instead of dicing it for a more elegant presentation at dinner parties.
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