Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad (Printable)
Colorful orzo tossed with crisp veggies, briny olives, creamy feta, and a zesty lemon dressing. Perfect for warm-weather meals.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 1/2 cups dried orzo pasta
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
05 - 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
→ Mediterranean Additions
08 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
09 - 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
10 - 2 tbsp capers, drained
→ Dressing
11 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
13 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
14 - 1 garlic clove, minced
15 - 1 tsp dried oregano
16 - 1/2 tsp salt
17 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook orzo according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a colander, rinse under cold running water, and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil to prevent clumping.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, parsley, Kalamata olives, crumbled feta, and capers.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - Add the cooled orzo to the vegetable mixture. Pour the dressing over the top and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Garnish with additional fresh parsley or feta if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dressing doubles as a marinade for grilled vegetables, so you can stretch it into a completely different meal the next day.
- Orzo holds up beautifully in the fridge for days without getting mushy, making this the rare pasta salad that actually tastes better as leftovers.
- Every single ingredient is available at any grocery store, no specialty shopping required.
02 -
- Undercooking the orzo by even thirty seconds means it will be crunchy in the center, which no amount of dressing can hide, so set a timer and test a piece yourself.
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water is not optional here because residual heat continues cooking it and makes the final salad gummy.
03 -
- Halving the olives rather than leaving them whole distributes the briny flavor more evenly so every bite gets a little punch instead of an occasional overwhelming one.
- Making the dressing first and letting it sit while you chop vegetables gives the dried oregano time to rehydrate and release its full flavor into the oil.