Greek Orzo Salad is a refreshing summer side dish featuring tender orzo pasta, fresh vegetables, olives, and feta cheese, all tossed together with a zesty lemony vinaigrette. It’s the perfect addition to your summer menu!
Table of Contents
Greek Orzo Salad
Greek Orzo Salad offers a healthy and flavorful twist on traditional Pasta Salad. This delightful dish is brimming with a variety of pickled and fresh vegetables, including artichokes, tomatoes, olives, and cucumber. Instead of being weighed down by heavy mayo, this recipe features a light and zesty lemony vinaigrette dressing. Making this salad is a breeze – cook the pasta, toss all the ingredients together, and let them chill in the fridge. It’s sure to become your go-to dish for spring and summer!
Despite being lighter than a typical pasta salad, this recipe boasts incredible flavors. The zesty lemon dressing adds a refreshing brightness, the fresh veggies provide a satisfying crunch, and the briny notes from the pickled vegetables bring a delightful balance to the dish. Greek Orzo Salad pairs wonderfully as a side dish with Greek Chicken Souvlaki for a simple and flavorful Mediterranean dinner. It’s also a light lunch option alongside sandwiches or a crowd-pleasing addition to a summer potluck. Enjoy this delicious salad!
How to Make Greek Orzo Salad
Making a Greek Orzo Salad is a delightful way to enjoy a refreshing and Mediterranean-inspired dish. Here’s a breakdown of the key steps:
- Preparation: Begin by boiling water and cooking the orzo pasta until it’s tender. Once cooked, drain the pasta and set it aside. While the pasta is cooking, you can prepare the vegetables and feta cheese.
- Dressing: In a separate bowl, prepare the dressing by combining olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper. Whisk these ingredients together until they are well combined.
- Assembling the Salad: In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked orzo pasta, artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, olives, and crumbled feta cheese.
- Dressing the Salad: Pour the prepared dressing over the top of the salad ingredients. Gently toss everything together to ensure that the dressing is evenly distributed throughout the salad.
- Chilling: To allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill, place it in the refrigerator for about an hour before serving. This step helps enhance the taste and texture of the salad.
This Greek Orzo Salad is a versatile and refreshing dish that works well as a side or even a main course. It’s perfect for picnics, potlucks, or as a light and healthy summer meal. Enjoy!
Essential Elements In Greek Orzo Salad
- Orzo Pasta: Orzo is a small pasta that resembles rice grains. It’s a versatile ingredient that absorbs the flavors of the dressing and other ingredients while providing a satisfying texture.
- Artichoke Hearts: These tender, marinated artichoke hearts add a tangy and slightly acidic element to the salad. They also contribute to the salad’s overall Mediterranean flavor.
- Grape Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes are sweet and juicy, providing a burst of freshness in every bite. They’re a colorful addition that complements the other ingredients.
- Cucumber: Cucumber adds a refreshing and crisp texture to the salad. Its mild flavor pairs well with the more robust flavors in the dish.
- Red Onion: Red onion brings a sharp and slightly spicy flavor to the salad. When sliced thinly, it provides a pleasant crunch and a pop of color.
- Kalamata Olives: These olives are known for their rich, fruity flavor and meaty texture. They contribute a briny and slightly salty element to the salad.
- Feta Cheese: Feta cheese is a classic addition to Greek salads. Its crumbly texture and tangy, salty taste contrast nicely with the other ingredients.
- Lemon Vinaigrette: The dressing is a key component that ties all the ingredients together. It consists of olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. The olive oil provides a smooth, rich base, while the lemon juice adds brightness and acidity. Dried oregano imparts a Mediterranean herbaceous flavor.
Variations
- Orzo Pasta: Orzo is a small pasta that resembles rice grains. It’s a versatile ingredient that absorbs the flavors of the dressing and other ingredients while providing a satisfying texture.
- Artichoke Hearts: These tender, marinated artichoke hearts add a tangy and slightly acidic element to the salad. They also contribute to the salad’s overall Mediterranean flavor.
- Grape Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes are sweet and juicy, providing a burst of freshness in every bite. They’re a colorful addition that complements the other ingredients.
- Cucumber: Cucumber adds a refreshing and crisp texture to the salad. Its mild flavor pairs well with the more robust flavors in the dish.
- Red Onion: Red onion brings a sharp and slightly spicy flavor to the salad. When sliced thinly, it provides a pleasant crunch and a pop of color.
- Kalamata Olives: These olives are known for their rich, fruity flavor and meaty texture. They contribute a briny and slightly salty element to the salad.
- Feta Cheese: Feta cheese is a classic addition to Greek salads. Its crumbly texture and tangy, salty taste contrast nicely with the other ingredients.
- Lemon Vinaigrette: The dressing is a key component that ties all the ingredients together. It consists of olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. The olive oil provides a smooth, rich base, while the lemon juice adds brightness and acidity. Dried oregano imparts a Mediterranean herbaceous flavor.
Ingredients
Lemon Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Pasta Salad:
- 12 ounces orzo pasta , cooked and drained
- 6 ounces marinated artichoke hearts , chopped
- 1 pint grape tomatoes , halved
- 1 cucumber , peeled, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 red onion , minced
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives , sliced
- 1 cup feta cheese , diced
Instructions
For the Dressing:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.
For the Salad:
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked orzo pasta, quartered artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, sliced Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese.
- Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients.
- Toss the salad gently until all ingredients are well coated with the dressing.
- Refrigerate the Greek Orzo Salad for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Serve chilled and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 483mg | Potassium: 215mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 566IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 1mg