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Greek Orzo Salad

Dinner· Family Meals· Healthy· Savoury Recipes

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Delicious Greek Orzo Salad infused with all the flavours you love and so easy to make! 

 

An overhead photograph of greek orzo salad and two wooden serving spoons

 

I love sharing salad recipes, you can never have enough. It is also really important to me that the ingredients and techniques are really simple. Few of us have time for lots of fussy slicing and dicing but all of us want great flavour! 

Greek Salads are such a popular summer recipe. So simple to make with the classic flavours we know and love. Adding Orzo pasta to this salad takes it to the next level. It becomes a more complete meal on its own. 

A large white bowl with greek orzo salad

 

The other benefit of adding the Orzo pasta is that it soaks up all the delicious flavours of the ingredients and the dressing. This salad is definitely better in the days after it is made so I will suggest making it the day before for the best results.

Ingredients for a Greek Orzo Salad

  • Orzo Pasta

  • Lebanese Cucumber

  • Green Capsicum (Bell Peppers)

  • Cherry or Roma Tomatoes

  • Red Onion

  • Kalamata & Black Olives

  • Feta

  • Greek Salad Dressing

The key for the ingredients for the salad is you want to have a little bit of everything in each mouthful so try and cut things in similar sizes and spread them throughout the salad. Many salads you can build from the bottom up – this one definitely get in there and mix it all together! 

How to make a greek orzo salad

 

If you are making this salad ahead to store for a day or two I recommend that you keep the tomatoes and cucumber out until you are serving. These two can go a little soggy and are best fresh. However if you are simply storing leftovers then you are fine to add it all in. 

 

Cutting the cucumber requires you to remove the middle seeds, again this is just to make sure the cucumber retains its crunch – you can do this by slicing the cucumber lengthways and using a small teaspoon run it down the centre of the cucumber and drag away the centre seeds. 

Prepared ingredients for the Greek Orzo Salad, sliced vegetables, dressing and pre cooked orzo pasta.

 

I have another great tip! Often red onion can be quite strong and it is not to everyone’s taste. You can reduce the heat and sharpness by soaking the red onion in tepid water for 10 minutes then drain and dry off.

For some this is sacrilege and we should toughen up – I say you do you. Others soak red onion in vinegar or lemon juice for similar reasons, to change the flavour. If you are not a red onion fan at all of course you can leave it out altogether. 

The dressing is lovely and simple. I have used white wine vinegar, you can substitute this for red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, whichever you have on hand. If you have none of these simply use more lemon juice or even a little mustard. Something to add some tang to the flavour. 

Pouring Greek Salad Dressing over a Orzo Pasta Salad.

 

Ingredients for a Greek Salad Dressing

  • Olive Oil

  • White OR Red Wine Vinegar

  • Lemon Juice

  • Fresh Parsley

  • Salt & Pepper 

Overhead photograph of a Greek Orzo Salad

 

To make the dressing you simply whisk together these ingredients and pour over the salad. This is the same dressing I use for my Greek Salad. And for this to soak into the orzo pasta you want to make this salad ahead, so either in the morning or a day or so beforehand. 

Photograph of a large white bowl filled with Greek Orzo Salad

If you love this salad be sure to check out my others, something here for everyone, bright and beautiful on the table this summer! 

Roasted Kumara Carrot & Orange Salad

Summer Pasta Salad

Kumara & Bacon Salad

Chicken & Nectarine Salad

Roasted Butternut Pumpkin Salad

Onto the recipe for my version of Greek Orzo Salad

Greek Orzo Salad

Greek Orzo Salad

Yield: 5 Cups
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Delicious and simple Greek Orzo Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 Cups Orzo Pasta, 285 grams, dried
  • 1 Packet Cherry Tomatoes (250 grams)
  • 1 Lebanese Cucumber
  • 1/2 Red Onion
  • 1 Green Capsicum (Bell Pepper)
  • 1/2 Cup Black Olives, Pitted & Sliced, 60 grams
  • 1/2 Cup Kalamata Olives, Pitted & Sliced, 60 grams
  • 85 grams Feta

Greek Salad Dressing

  • 1/3 Cup Olive Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
  • 2 Tablespoons Parsley, finely diced
  • Pinch of Salt & Pepper

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Dressing First
  2. For the dressing in a small bowl add the olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, finely diced parsley and a pinch of salt & pepper and whisk together well. Set aside
  3. Half fill a large saucepan with water, add a teaspoon of salt and set to a medium heat to begin to boil
  4. Add to the boiling water dried orzo pasta and cook for 8 minutes, until al dente
  5. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and set aside for no more than 5 minutes to cool.
  6. While the pasta is cooking prepare the vegetables, if you are going to soak the red onion slice this first.
  7. Rinse all of the vegetables before preparing
  8. Slice the red onion in half, and slice off the tough ends and discard. Slice across the red onion to make small slices (1/4 cm) to make semi circles.
  9. If you wish to reduce the strong flavours soak the sliced red onion in a small cup of tepid water for 8-10 minutes, drain and pat dry before using in the salad.
  10. Slice the Cherry tomatoes in half and set aside.
  11. Slice off the ends of the cucumber and discard, and then slice the cucumber lengthways in half.
  12. Using a small teaspoon remove the seeds by dragging the teaspoon the length of the cucumber.
  13. Then slice the cucumber into 1/2 cm slices and set aside
  14. Slice the 4 sides off the green capsicum, ensuring there are no seeds or white seams and slice into 1/2 cm slices and set aside
  15. Measure out the pitted black & Kalamata olives and slice into 3rds and set aside,
  16. Once the Orzo is cooked and has cooled for 5 minutes prepare the salad in a large mixing bowl.
  17. Add the orzo, it may appear to stick together, gently use a fork to loosen it but it comes right once the dressing is added.
  18. Add to the orzo the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, drained red onion, capsicum, and the olives.
  19. Mix well with a large wooden spoon or clean hands
  20. Add to this the dressing and stir well again.
  21. This is best stored overnight covered in the refrigerator before serving to allow the dressing to infuse the pasta.
  22. When you are ready to serve the salad, crumble over half the feta cheese and stir carefully to combine.
  23. Then spoon the salad into a large salad serving bowl and crumble over the remaining feta. You may wish to garnish this with small mint leaves or a dusting of finely diced parsley.
  24. Serve this salad cold. It will last for 3-4 days if stored properly in the fridge.
  25. Enjoy!

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© justamumnz
Category: Salad

I hope you enjoy this lovely easy salad recipe, if you have not made it before it should be one to keep for years to come. 

 

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Happy Baking

Anna

 

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