Learn how to make the best Mediterranean Orzo Salad Recipe! This Easy Cold Orzo Salad Recipe is vegetarian, healthy and delicious!
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There is nothing better than a pasta salad with seasonal, garden fresh veggies!
This orzo salad is loaded with Summer vegetables and is tossed with a simple greek dressing.
Everyone will love this easy, healthy side dish at your next bbq or potluck!
Why We Love this Greek Orzo Salad Recipe
There is a lot to love about this recipe. It’s a favorite side dish for a healthy dinner because it’s:
- Easy to make – Cook the pasta, whisk the dressing, and mix it all together. It’s that simple!
- Fresh Ingredients – This is the perfect side dish to use fresh ingredients, especially in the Summer when they are in season!
- Versatile – If you don’t like one of the ingredients or simply don’t have it on hand, you can switch most of the ingredients. See our recommended substitutions in the green box below.
Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this greek orzo salad:
- orzo pasta
- english cucumber
- cherry tomatoes
- bell pepper
- crumbled feta cheese
- shallots
- kalamata olives
- fresh basil
Salad Dressing Ingredients:
- olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- whole grain mustard
- salt and pepper
You can find substitutions for all of these ingredients below in the green shaded box.
How to Make Orzo Pasta Salad
- Cook the orzo as directed on the package.
- Place all the ingredients in a large salad bowl.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl or mason jar, add olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk the greek dressing until well combined.
- Pour the dressing over the orzo and vegetables, and mix well until all the ingredients are combined.
How to Cook Orzo
What is the cooking time for orzo pasta? Orzo usually cooks for 7-10 minutes. Every type of orzo has a slightly different cook time.
Should orzo be al dente? Yes, orzo should be al dente according to the package. If overcooked, orzo quickly becomes mushy.
Should orzo be rinsed after cooking? No – orzo should not be rinsed after cooking. There’s no need to do that. If you’re afraid or the orzo sticking, stir in a tiny little bit of extra virgin olive oil.
How do you keep orzo from getting mushy? To keep orzo from getting mushy, make sure to cook it according to directions.
Variations for Orzo Greek Salad
Orzo Pasta: You can substitute orzo pasta with rice or other grains. We also have a Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, our Kale Quinoa Salad, Greek Salad, or Greek Chicken Pasta Salad.
Vegetables: You can use more or fewer vegetables. Feel free to substitute! You could also do sun dried tomatoes in place of cherry tomatoes, but I would cut the amount to only 1/4 cup. You could also use grape tomatoes.
Feta Cheese: You can substitute crumbled feta cheese with mini mozzarella balls or crumbled goat cheese.
Shallots: If you don’t have shallots you can substitute with red onion. Shallots have a milder flavor. You can also omit it entirely.
Kalamata Olives: Olive add a lot of flavor to this recipe. You can substitute with black olives or add capers to the recipe.
Fresh Herbs: Feel free to substitute chopped fresh basil with fresh parsley or fresh dill.
Olive Oil: You can substitute extra virgin olive oil with avocado oil.
Red Wine Vinegar: I haven’t tried substituting red wine vinegar with anything. You can try balsamic vinegar but I’m not sure how it will taste.
Whole Grain Mustard: Whole grain mustard is best for this recipe. You could try it with dijon mustard but I’m not sure how it would taste.
Can Greek Orzo Salad be made in advance?
Yes, you can make this recipe ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge until you want to eat it. It is best within a couple of hours of making, but stores for up to 3 days in the fridge. The dressing stores well in a mason jar.
What to Serve with Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is so delicious and versatile. Here are some of my favorite things to serve it with:
- Balsamic Grilled Chicken
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
- Lemon Chicken with Artichoke Hearts
- Italian Pork Tenderloin Sheet Pan Dinner
- Kale Salad with Chicken and Lemon Dressing
Can orzo be eaten cold? Yes! Orzo can be eaten cold or hot! If you would like a warm orzo dish, try this Mediterranean Chicken Orzo.
Tips for the best Orzo Salad:
Cook pasta according to package instructions: The best way to cook orzo is in boiling water with salt. It takes about 10 minutes to cook. Drain and rinse it well before adding it to the salad.
Cook pasta to al dente: The orzo will absorb the dressing, so you don’t want it to be soggy.
Make sure to cool the orzo before adding to the veggies: You don’t want to be ‘cooking’ fresh veggies like cucumber or tomatoes with hot pasta.
Enjoy fresh: This orzo salad is best enjoyed 1-2 hours after you make it!
Orzo Salad FAQ
Orzo is perfectly safe to eat cold and in this recipe, you need cold orzo.
Orzo is a type of pasta made out of ground durum wheat semolina, water, and salt. It holds shape when cooked and can be used in place of rice.
Yes, orzo is on the Mediterranean diet! It’s a great side dish.
Orzo is technically pasta. It’s a short grain pasta which is similar in texture to rice.
How long does orzo salad last in fridge?
Storing: This will last in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container
Freezing: Don’t freeze this orzo salad. The vegetables will change texture.
Reheating: You can reheat this recipe in the microwave, toaster oven, oven, or on the stove.
Other healthy pasta recipes:
Looking for other easy pasta dishes or pasta salads? Check out these 40+ Healthy Dinner Recipes. Click here to grab our free healthy 30 minute dinners cookbook.
Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 2 cups orzo pasta
- 1 diced English cucumber
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 finely chopped shallots
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives cut in half
- 1/2 cup fresh basil chopped
Dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Cook the orzo as directed on the package. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and prevent the pasta from sticking together.
- While the pasta cooks, wash, chop and prepare the rest of the ingredients. Place all the ingredients in a large salad bowl.
- In a small bowl, add olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour the dressing over the orzo and vegetables, and mix well until all the ingredients are combined.
- Serve cold.
Lynne says
Light, fresh and delicious!
Jenn R says
What a great salad. Made it for a work cookout. Would use less scallions not a big fan of onion but did add a nice flavor overall. Used small farfalline pasta (grocery store was out of orzo???).