Greek Orzo Pasta Salad (with Feta and Olives)

I'm a big fan of pasta salads; they round out a meal so well! And it's great to have a variety of pasta types and flavors so you can mix and match the sides according to your meal.

In this salad, I used orzo pasta which is so light you barely know it's there. Add to that some veggies and cheese with a Mediterranean flair and you get an easy pasta salad: a perfect make-ahead side or light main for picnics, potlucks, or backyard barbecues. It's a sunny celebration of flavors and textures you'll want to make on repeat!

Because the bright Mediterranean flavors pair so well with seafood, I am happily adding this orzo pasta salad to my master list of what to serve with cod - check it out!

Ingredients Needed for this Mediterranean Orzo Salad

• Orzo pasta, of course
• Red onion
• Grape or cherry tomatoes (I like grape as they are slightly sweeter)
• Cucumbers - I use a couple of the mini sized ones, or an English cucumber
• Feta cheese - if possible, buy a block in brine and crumble it yourself
• Kalamata olives - I buy these already sliced because who needs extra work?
• For the dressing; olive oil(extra virgin), lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper.

How to Make this Greek Orzo Salad Recipe

Step 1: cook the orzo by boiling in water, about 7-8 minutes, or al dente according to the package directions. Drain and set aside to cool.

Step 2: cut up the vegetables and place in a medium sized bowl. Crumble the feta cheese to make about ½ cup. Add the cheese and olives to the bowl with the vegetables.

Step 3: whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small cup or bowl.

Step 4: add the dressing and cooled orzo to the bowl and toss everything to mix. Cover and refrigerate until it is time to serve.

Serving Suggestions for Orzo Salad with Feta

One of the great features of this salad is that there is no mayo in the dressing, making it perfect for potlucks and cookouts. Even so, it's best to keep it cool to preserve its freshness and texture.

Storage Suggestions

Store any leftover orzo salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep beautifully for at least 3 to 5 days, perfect for meal prep and it makes a great leftover for lunch or dinner. If the pasta seems a little dry, you can drizzle a little olive oil and give it a quick stir to restore the moistness and texture.

Variations and Substitutions for the Easy Greek Pasta Salad

As I mentioned above, you can use either cherry or grape tomatoes, but even a chopped heirloom tomato would work here. Same with cucumbers, sometimes you just have to work with whats available. I just like to have roughly the same amount of tomatoes and cucumbers for good flavor balance in the salad.

If you'd like to try different veggies, some chopped red bell pepper or grated carrots might be a nice addition.

And if you love cold pasta salads, be sure to check out a few more of my pasta salad recipes: macaroni salad is a sweet classic favorite at every backyard barbecue, but you can also get more adventurous with a salami pasta salad or Caprese tortellini salad. And for a non-pasta salad that's both vegetarian and delicious try my easy cucumber and chickpea salad - the ranch and feta flavors are so good, and it feeds a crowd!

📖 Recipe