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This Mediterranean Orzo Salad is so colorful and fresh, full of tender orzo pasta, crunchy veggies, kalamata olives, tangy feta, and capers. Make this healthy pasta salad for your next picnic or potluck, or add a protein and make it for dinner.
Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This orzo salad is my new favorite! Full of fresh flavors and so easy to make!”
— Tayler
Spring and Summer are salad seasons in my book! But just chopping up some lettuce and adding a jar of dressing is not doing the salad any justice. I like to get creative, and this Mediterranean Orzo Salad is one of my favorites. It has several different fresh, colorful veggies, orzo pasta, and a zesty lemon vinaigrette to make every bite pop!
Making a homemade dressing is easier than you think. All you need is 6 ingredients that you probably have at home; whisk them up in a bowl or shake them in a mason jar, and your dressing is done! It’s truly the game-changer in this orzo pasta salad recipe. If you want to try other interesting salads, my Pea Salad Recipe or my Tex-Mex Chopped Salad are two others you don’t want to miss.
Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I agree, this pasta salad is even better the next day! I have really been enjoying it for lunch this week. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!”
— Sky
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Fast & Easy to Make in Under 30 Minutes: This Mediterranean pasta salad with orzo comes together quickly and uses only a pot and a serving bowl!
- Serve it as a Main or a Side: The orzo makes this dish a meal or a hearty side, and the lemon dressing makes it so bright and delicious! You can even add a protein like chicken, shrimp, or steak.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Make this salad ahead and store it in the fridge. It is great for potlucks, tailgating, and more!
Ingredient Notes
Salad
Ingredients
- Orzo pasta: Cooked al dente and cooled, this pasta makes the salad.
- Tomatoes: I use cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved to release all the yummy juices.
- Cucumber: Chop your cucumber for a fresh crunch.
- Kalamata olives: Make it easy by choosing pitted briny olives
- Bell Peppers: Use half a green pepper and a red pepper, chopped.
- Parsley: Finely chop fresh parsley for an earthy herb addition to the recipe.
- Feta cheese: I mean, how can you not have feta cheese in a Greek salad?
- Capers: The capers are optional, but I love the salty flavor they add.
Lemon Vinaigrette Ingredients
- Olive oil: Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the base of any good salad dressing.
- Lemons: Use 2 lemons, zested & juiced.
- Garlic clove: Use a whole minced clove, or get the minced jar from the grocery store.
- Honey: Add a touch of sweetness to balance all the flavors.
- Dill: I use dried dill to add that earthy, licorice flavor to my salad.
- Oregano: Choose fresh chopped oregano for the dressing.
- Salt & Pepper: I like to use Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper in my dressing recipes. Adjust the amount according to your taste.
How To Make Mediterranean Orzo Salad
✱ Below shows step-by-step photos and instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.
I like to chop, dice, mince, and zest all my ingredients ahead of time. Alternatively, you can get that started while cooking the orzo. There’s plenty of time, as this recipe is so fast and easy!
Step 1 | Prepare the Orzo Pasta
Grab a large pot from the cabinet and get ready to cook the orzo pasta as directed in the package instructions; this should take about 8 minutes until the pasta is perfectly al dente. Drain and rinse the cooked orzo in a colander with cold water to stop the cooking process and until the orzo is cool. Then, set that aside.
Step 2 | Mix the Lemon Vinaigrette
Make this a one-bowl recipe by mixing the dressing right in a large mixing bowl or a serving bowl! To your chosen serving bowl, add the olive oil, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, honey, dill, oregano, salt, and pepper. Whisk ingredients with a fork or whisk until all the ingredients are combined. Set that bowl aside.
Step 3 | Assemble the Salad
Add the cooked and cooled orzo pasta, halved fresh tomatoes, diced crunchy cucumbers, olives, chopped green and red bell pepper, fresh parsley, feta cheese, and capers to the large bowl of dressing.
Step 4 | Toss and serve
Now, it is time to take out a spoon or salad tongs and toss all the ingredients together until all coated with dressing and nicely distributed. Then, for best results, I like to refrigerate my Greek Orzo Salad for a few hours to let the flavors develop more.
Then you are ready to serve this fast and easy, colorful Mediterranean orzo pasta salad with lemony dressing and a smile!
Variations
It’s easy to customize this Greek orzo salad with your own flavors and ingredients. Here are some ways I’ve changed the recipe in the past:
- Add More Veggies: Feel free to play with the vegetable list and add red onion, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, avocado, or even grilled eggplant!
- Add a Protein: Want to make it a meal? Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon, a can of chickpeas, and more to this dish.
- Olives: Change it up and use green olives if you prefer.
- Stir in More Herbs: Change it up and add fresh basil, fresh dill, and more.
Expert Tips
- Chop the veggies small and all the same size, so you get a mix of all the flavors in each bite.
- Allow time for the salad to rest in the fridge, an hour will do. That way, the flavors marry, and the orzo absorbs some of the juices.
- If you want to prep the salad a day ahead, I recommend keeping the dressing in a separate container and tossing an hour before serving.
- This salad can easily become vegan or dairy-free by omitting the cheese.
- Cook the orzo to al dente, then immediately rinse in cold water. This will stop the cooking of the pasta so that the orzo has texture and isn’t mushy.
- Drain the orzo very well before making the salad. If you don’t, you risk the orzo salad becoming watery in texture.
What to Serve with Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad
This orzo pasta salad pairs well with many protein dishes, from chicken and shrimp to scallops and salmon. Here are a few ideas from my recipe box:
Storage
If you’d like to make this ahead to serve the next day, prepare the vinaigrette in a separate bowl or mason jar and dress the salad before serving so the pasta doesn’t dry out.
Cover with foil or plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (it can be stored with or without dressing on it). After storing it with dressing, you can add more oil if the salad is dry.
Avoid freezing this salad, it will change the texture once it thaws.
FAQs
Many people make the mistake of thinking orzo is made from rice. But it is a tiny pasta product made from wheat semolina flour and is very popular in Mediterranean and Italian dishes.
It’s a great idea to double the recipe, mix it in a jar with a lid, shake it, and put half into the serving bowl. Then, store the remainder of the lemon dressing in the refrigerator for your next salad.
Absolutely, you can. Just be sure all the seasonings and jars are labeled GF, and choose the variety of gluten-free orzo you like.
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Mediterranean Orzo Salad
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Ingredients
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 lemons - zested & juices
- 1 garlic clove - minced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon coarse kosher salt - (or to taste)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper - (or to taste)
- 1 ½ cups dry orzo pasta - cooked and cooled
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes - halved
- 1 cup cucumber - chopped
- 1 cup pitted kalamata olives
- ½ cup chopped green bell pepper - (approximately ½ a bell pepper)
- ½ cup chopped red bell pepper - (approximately ½ a bell pepper)
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- ½ cup feta cheese
- 1 tablespoons capers - (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the orzo according to the directions. Approximately 8 minutes or until Al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water until the orzo is cool. Set aside.
- To your serving bowl, add the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, honey, dill, oregano, salt, and pepper. Whisk ingredients togehter with a fork or whisk until well combined. Set aside.
- To the dressing, add cooked and cooled orzo pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, green and red bell pepper, parsley, feta cheese, and capers.
- Toss together with a spoon and serve. Or refrigerate for a few hours to let flavors develop more.
Notes
- Chop the veggies small, so you get a mix of all the flavors in each bite.
- Allow time for the salad to rest in the fridge; an hour will do. The flavors marry, and the orzo absorbs some of the juices.
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I have not make this as of yet but this beautiful salad will be my dinner today I know it will be good,
thanks for sending this orzo salad recipe it looks beautiful and I know it will taste just as good. Hattie Currie.
Thank you so much Hattie! I hope you have a beautiful and blessed Sunday!
This orzo salad is my new favorite! Full of fresh flavors and so easy to make!
Thank you, Tayler. I appreciate the 5 star rating.
Loved this! Tastes so light and fresh and absolutely delicious.
I am so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the 5 star rating!
I agree, this pasta salad is even better the next day! I have really been enjoying it for lunch this week. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!
Thank you, Sky! I love when I have some leftover for the next day too!
What a refreshing delicious salad! I cannot wait to make it again!
Thank you, Ned!
We loved the bold Med flavors and the texture with the orzo. So good.
Thank you, Katherine!