Greek Orzo Salad with Feta (Printable)

Tender orzo pasta tossed with fresh vegetables, creamy feta, and a bright lemon-oregano dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 cup orzo pasta
02 - 1 teaspoon salt for boiling water

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
05 - ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
06 - ¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

→ Cheese

07 - ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Fresh Herbs

08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - ½ teaspoon salt
15 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook according to package instructions until al dente, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the cooled orzo, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, feta cheese, parsley, and dill. Mix gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, Dijon mustard, salt, and ground black pepper until emulsified and well combined.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Refrigerate for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and enhance the overall taste profile.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes better after sitting in the fridge, so you can make it ahead and actually enjoy your guests instead of hovering over the stove.
  • The lemon dressing is bright enough to wake up your taste buds without any heaviness, perfect when its too hot to think about mayo.
  • You can toss in whatever protein or vegetables you have lying around and it still works, no precision required.
02 -
  • Rinse the orzo under cold water immediately after draining or it will stick together into one giant clump, learned that the hard way at a picnic.
  • Dress the salad while the orzo is still slightly warm if you want the flavors to soak in deeper, but if you are in a rush, cold works fine too.
  • Feta varies wildly in saltiness, so crumble it in and taste before adding extra salt to the dressing.
03 -
  • If your feta is too crumbly and dry, soak it in cold water for 10 minutes before adding it to the salad, it will soften up and taste creamier.
  • Toast the dried oregano in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding it to the dressing, it wakes up the flavor and makes it smell incredible.
  • Always taste the salad after it has chilled, cold mutes flavors so you will almost always need to add a squeeze more lemon or a pinch more salt before serving.
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