Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad (Printable version)
Colorful orzo tossed with crisp veggies, briny olives, feta, and a zesty Mediterranean dressing.
# Ingredient list:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 1/2 cups (285 g) 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
# Directions:
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 to halt cooking, and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil to prevent the pasta from clumping. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine the halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, diced red bell pepper, chopped fresh parsley, halved Kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, and drained capers. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until the dressing is fully emulsified and no oil separation remains.
04 - Add the cooled orzo to the prepared vegetable mixture. Pour the dressing over the top and toss thoroughly until every ingredient is evenly coated.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper as needed. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Garnish with extra fresh parsley or crumbled feta before serving if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dressing seeps into every nook of the orzo overnight, so leftovers actually taste better than day one.
- It comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta, which means you can stop stress cooking for a crowd.
- Every single bite hits salty, tangy, creamy, and crunchy all at once without any heavy sauce weighing it down.
02 -
- Rinsing the orzo under cold water is not optional because residual heat will wilt your vegetables and melt the feta into a cloudy mess.
- The salad genuinely tastes twice as good the next day once the dressing has had time to soak in, so making it ahead is actually ideal.
03 -
- Dice all your vegetables to roughly the same size as the orzo so every forkful delivers a balanced mix of textures and flavors.
- Let the dressed salad sit at room temperature for ten minutes before eating because the cold muffles the flavor and a slight warm up lets everything bloom.