Easy Greek Orzo Salad Recipe
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The Vegetarian Greek Orzo Salad is super simple and easy recipe to make that takes miminum effort. It is a delicious Cold Pasta Salad made with crunchy vegetables, pickled olives and tangy feta cheese. Since the best part is that you can make it ahead of time, it comes very handy as quick meal.
Greek Orzo Salad is perfect for picnics, cook-outs, get-togethers and your kids’ lunch box. It is bursting with mega flavors with a simple home-made dressing. This summer salad needs minimum cooking and is done under 30 minutes! YAY!
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Delicious Greek Orzo Salad Recipe
Further this Vegetarian Greek Orzo Salad is another great addition to the other salads on the blog – Jennifer Aniston Salad, Mediterranean Couscous Salad, Cold Pasta Salad, Spinach Strawberry Salad, Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad, Cold Asian Noodle Salad Recipe, Chickpeas Greek Salad, Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, and more.
This Orzo Pasta Salad with plenty of fresh veggies, cheese and olives is perfect for the days when you want a salad but somehting more filling.
Top 5 Reasons I like this Mediterranean Orzo Salad
- This Salad comes together in under 30 minutes.
- Greek Orzo Salad is perfefct as a meal for hot spring or summer days!
- Since it is so simple to make, you can make it ahead of time and serve it cold or at room temperature.
- This dish is perfect to take for picnics, potlucks, and grill outs.
- It is great to pack for work lunches and kids’ lunch boxes.
- Perfect as a refreshing vegetarian side to any meal.
What is Orzo?
Orzo is a form of short-cut pasta, shaped like a large grain of rice. It is made from durum wheat, often with semolina flour. It is classified as pastina, a category of very small pastas. One uses orzo in soups, salads, and other dishes in Italian cuisine.
What are the ingredients of Greek Orzo Salad?
Although my recipe some basic handy inngredients for this recipe, please feel free to adapt the recipe to your liking. Now here is the list of ingredients –
Orzo Pasta – Since it is Orzo Salad, I would recommend to use Orzo pasta only. It looks like the grain of rice but much chewy in texture. It is absolutely delightful. You can cook it either on gas top or in instant pot. You can find the instant pot instructions in the recipe card.
Fresh Vegetables – Although I have used an array of vegetables but you can use either all or few. Make it colorful by using Colored Bell Peppers, Cucumbers, Cherry Tomatoes, and Red Onions.
Canned products – Now I love using both kinds of OLIVES – Black Olives and Green Olives. But you can use either both or just one kind. I normally get mine from the local grocery store’s deli bar. Further, I have used canned Artichokes in this recipe since I had it. You can skip it if you want.
Cheese – Although FETA CHEESE is my default choice, but fresh mozzarella or goat cheese would be nice too.
Fresh Herbs – I love using fresh herbs like Mint and Basil in my salads. Parsley would be a good addition too.
Salad Dressing – This is the simplest abd easiest salad dressing ever. All you need is – Olive Oil, Oregano dry, Salt & Black Pepper, and Lemon Juice.
Recipe Kitchen Gadgets
How to make Greek Orzo Salad at home?
It is a very simple recipe that includes 4 steps.
Cook Orzo Pasta
How to cook Orzo Pasta in Instant Pot?
For cooking Orzo pasta in Instant Pot, the ratio of pasta to water is 1:2 where 1 part is pasta and 2 part is water.
Further cook it in Instant Pot for 5 minutes on High Pressure and then follow QPR (quick pressure release).
And if you are using this pasta for cold salad then drain any excess water and wash it under cold water. Use it once cooled.
The best part is that you can cook couscous ahead of time and refrigerate till you need it.
Cooking Orzo Pasta on Stove-Top
Simply follow the instructions given at the back of the pasta package and cook accordingly. Once cooked, drain the water and wash it under the cold water. Once cooled completely, use it in salad.
Make Salad Dressing for Greek Orzo Salad
Take a mixing bowl. Further add Olive Oil, Oregano dry, Salt & Black Pepper, and Lemon Juice to it. Mix well with a small whisk. Set aside.
Prep the Vegetables & other Ingredients
Vegetables – Wash Bell Peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion in a Kitchen Colander and pat these dry. Further chop all the vegetables fine to match the size of the orzo (not literally but keep the size as small as possible).
Herbs – Although I used basil and mint in this salad, but you can use whatever you have. You can use both kinds or only 1 kind. Now wash the fresh herbs and chop these fine.
Canned Products – Since the flavor of deli Olives is amazing, I use those. But you can use the canned ones. I like to keep the olives little chunkier than the finer chop. You can either keep them chunky or chop them fine. If you are using brined artichokes, then take out and chop them roughly.
Put the Greek Orzo Salad Together
This is the easiest part. Take a large Mixing Bowl and add cooked Orzo Pasta, chopped Black Olives and Green Olives, chopped vegetables & herbs, feta cheese to the bowl. Further add the SALAD DRESSING to the bowl. Use the Salad Tongs and mix all the ingredients well.
For the best results refrigerate this salad. It tastes better the next day and makes it a perfect MAKE-AHEAD MEAL.
What can I serve with this salad?
This salad will go very well with Grilled Corn, Roasted Sweet Potatoes or Baked Potatoes, Roasted Mushrooms, Grilled Asparagus and much more.
Salad Recipe Tips
- Cook the Pasta with some olive oil so that it does not stick to each other and easy to seprate the grains.
- Choice of Vegetables – It is a very versatile salad. You can add any vegetables of your choice in this salad. Finely chopped broccoli, baby spinach, chopped carrots are some othe vegetables that will go very well in this salad.
- Herbs – Although I have used a mix of herbs, you can choose either one or all of the herbs for this salad.
- Cheese – Since Feta is creamy and salty in taste, it is my favorite cheese for salalds. But gorgonzola or goat cheese will be great in this salad.
- Make Ahead Tip – This Salad is great when you make ahead and refrigerate over night. It deepens the flavors. When you plan to make this salad ahead then toss the couscous in dressing and herbs. Refrigerate in an air tight container. When ready to serve, add chopped vegetables, nuts and feta. Mix and serve.
- Storage – This salad can sit in the refrigerator for 3-4 days easily without loosing the flavors.
RECIPE VIDEO
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Easy Greek Orzo Salad Recipe
Easy Greek Orzo Salad Recipe
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- Kitchen Tongs
Ingredients
Orzo Ingredients
- 1&1/2 cups Orzo Pasta
- 3 cups Water
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salad Dressing Ingredients
- 1/3` cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1&1/2 tsp Oregano, dry
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper powder
Other Salad Ingredients
- 1 cup Sweet Bell Peppers (combination of yellow, orange, green or pick any 1 kind) finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Red Onions finely chopped
- 10 Cherry Tomatoes finely chopped
- 1 cup Cucumbers, seedless chopped fine
- 14 Olives (mix of black and green if possible) chopped roughly
- 2 pcs Artichoke (from the jar) chopped roughly
- 1/2 cup Feta Cheese cubed or crumbled
- 6-7 Leaves fresh basil
- 6-7 Leaves fresh mint
Instructions
Cook Orzo Pasta
- Instant Pot Instructions
- Add 1&1/2 cups of Orzo Pasta to the inner pot of Instant Pot with 1 tbsp Olive Oil and 3 cups water. Place the lid and secure it to SEALING position. Press the PRESSURE COOK button set it on HIGH and cook for 5 minutes. Once the timer goes off, quickly release the pressure manually. Drain the pasta in a fine sieve and run it under tap water to cool it down. Set aside. Now prep for the salad.
- The best part is that you can cook couscous ahead of time and refrigerate till you need it.
- Gas Top Instructions
- Simply follow the instructions given at the back of the pasta package and cook accordingly. Once cooked, drain the water and wash it under the cold water. Once cooled completely, use it in salad.
Make Salad Dressing for Greek Orzo Salad
- Take a mixing bowl. Further add Olive Oil, Oregano dry, Salt & Black Pepper, and Lemon Juice to it. Mix well with a small whisk. Set aside.
Prep the Vegetables & other Ingredients
- Vegetables – Wash Bell Peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion in a Kitchen Colander and pat these dry. Further chop all the vegetables fine to match the size of the orzo (not literally but keep the size as small as possible).
- Herbs – Although I used basil and mint in this salad, but you can use whatever you have. You can use both kinds or only 1 kind. Now wash the fresh herbs and chop these fine.
- Canned Products – Since the flavor of deli Olives is amazing, I use those. But you can use the canned ones. I like to keep the olives little chunkier than the finer chop. You can either keep them chunky or chop them fine. If you are using brined artichokes, then take out and chop them roughly.
Put the Greek Orzo Salad Together
- This is the easiest part. Take a large Mixing Bowl and add cooked Orzo Pasta, chopped Black Olives and Green Olives, chopped vegetables & herbs, feta cheese to the bowl.
- Further add the SALAD DRESSING to the bowl. Use the Salad Tongs and mix all the ingredients well.
- For the best results refrigerate this salad. It tastes better the next day and makes it a perfect MAKE-AHEAD MEAL.
What can I serve with this salad?
- This salad will go very well with Grilled Corn, Roasted Sweet Potatoes or Baked Potatoes, Roasted Mushrooms, Grilled Asparagus and much more.
Video
Notes
Salad Recipe Tips
- Cook the Pasta with some olive oil so that it does not stick to each other and easy to seprate the grains.
- Choice of Vegetables – It is a very versatile salad. You can add any vegetables of your choice in this salad. Finely chopped broccoli, baby spinach, chopped carrots are some othe vegetables that will go very well in this salad.
- Herbs – Although I have used a mix of herbs, you can choose either one or all of the herbs for this salad.
- Cheese – Since Feta is creamy and salty in taste, it is my favorite cheese for salalds. But gorgonzola or goat cheese will be great in this salad.
- Make Ahead Tip – This Salad is great when you make ahead and refrigerate over night. It deepens the flavors. When you plan to make this salad ahead then toss the couscous in dressing and herbs. Refrigerate in an air tight container. When ready to serve, add chopped vegetables, nuts and feta. Mix and serve.
- Storage – This salad can sit in the refrigerator for 3-4 days easily without loosing the flavors.
What are the ingredients of Greek Orzo Salad?
Although my recipe some basic handy inngredients for this recipe, please feel free to adapt the recipe to your liking. Now here is the list of ingredients – Orzo Pasta – Since it is Orzo Salad, I would recommend to use Orzo pasta only. It looks like the grain of rice but much chewy in texture. It is absolutely delightful. You can cook it either on gas top or in instant pot. You can find the instant pot instructions in the recipe card. Fresh Vegetables – Although I have used an array of vegetables but you can use either all or few. Make it colorful by using Colored Bell Peppers, Cucumbers, Cherry Tomatoes, and Red Onions. Canned products – Now I love using both kinds of OLIVES – Black Olives and Green Olives. But you can use either both or just one kind. I normally get mine from the local grocery store’s deli bar. Further, I have used canned Artichokes in this recipe since I had it. You can skip it if you want. Cheese – Although FETA CHEESE is my default choice, but fresh mozzarella or goat cheese would be nice too. Fresh Herbs – I love using fresh herbs like Mint and Basil in my salads. Parsley would be a good addition too. Salad Dressing – This is the simplest abd easiest salad dressing ever. All you need is – Olive Oil, Oregano dry, Salt & Black Pepper, and Lemon Juice.Recipe Kitchen Gadgets
Kitchen Colander Chopping board and Knife Measuring Cups & Spoon Mixing Bowls Salad Tongs Instant PotNutrition
I am sure you are going to try this recipe soon. Please rate the recipe and leave your feedback in comments.
Sonal
Can’t find orzo in any grocery stores
Hey Linda – if you can’t find orzo then you can use pearl
Couscous or any other kind of pasta too. Whole Foods should have it. Or you can order from Amazon.
It’s great with kalamata olives, feta, and halved cherry tomatoes.
So delicious! I love all of the Greek mix in vegetables with the orzo. Definitely making this as a meal prep for lunches!
I am loving all the flavors and textures in this Greek orzo salad. It’s perfect for a picnic or BBQ.
This orzo salad recipe is amazing! Since I am a big olive fan, I’m definitely going to include both kalamata and green olives. This recipe is simply perfect for the summer.
Heck yes, anything full of olives is a win in my book. We devoured this salad! Was a great side to our grilled meats this past weekend!
https://simplyvegetarian777.com/easy-greek-orzo-salad-recipe/