This is the salad I’ve been eating on repeat for the past week. It’s a Mediterranean-style orzo salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and lots of herbs like fresh dill, parsley, and dried oregano. The whole thing is dressed with plenty of extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar, then tossed with a generous amount of crumbled feta and olives. I added lots of both black and Castelvetrano olives; they’re my favorite part of the salad.
I made a large batch, using a whole pound of pasta. Since it gets better the longer it sits, I’ve been enjoying it as a quick lunch or a super easy dinner side. (Literally eating some right now as I type this) Once the weather warms up, pasta salads are one of my favorite dishes to make because you can prepare a big batch, add whatever ingredients you have or need to use up, and have it ready whenever you’re hungry. Ok, now onto the recipe…
This is the salad I’ve been eating on repeat for the past week. It's a Mediterranean-style orzo salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and lots of herbs like fresh dill, parsley, and dried oregano.
What is orzo pasta salad?
Orzo pasta salad is a dish made with orzo, a small rice-shaped pasta. Like most pasta salads the orzo gets cooked and then cooled slightly before being tossed with various ingredients to create a salad. This version uses lots of cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers along with herbs like dill, parsley and oregano. The olives and feta are the best part. Salty and sharp. They go so well in the salad.
What ingredients do I need to make Mediterranean orzo salad?
Orzo
Orzo is a type of pasta that is shaped like a large grain of rice. It is made from semolina flour, which is coarsely ground durum wheat. Orzo is commonly used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines and can be used in a variety of dishes, from soups to pilafs or salads like here.
Cucumbers
I like Persian cucumbers for this. Also known as mini cucumbers or baby cucumbers, Persian cucumbers are small, seedless cucumbers with thin, tender skin. They’re super crisp, refreshing, and I would say a little sweeter than most traditional cucumbers. I typically get them whenever I see them, especially since they tend to be available all year.
You can also certainly use a seedless cucumber or any other variety you like or have available. If it has too many seeds, remove them. And peel your cucumber if the skin is too thick.
Tomatoes
Any tomato you like will work here. Try to get something that is in season and isn’t too juicy. I think a cherry or grape tomato works perfectly. I happened to only have a larger beefsteak variety so thats what I used. You can squeeze out any extra liquid and seeds if the tomatoes seem to watery. And chop them up in a fairly small dice. Something bite sized.
Peppers
A sweet bell pepper is what you want. I used an orange one since it’s what I had, but any sweet bell pepper works great.
Scallions
I love scallions in this for their mellow onion-y flavor but if you don’t have any available you can most certainly substitute in some chopped shallot or red onion.
Quick tip: if raw onions are too much for you, just too strong, you can mellow them out by thinly slicing and soaking them in ice water. It will draw out some of the sulphur compounds in the onion, making them more palatable. And it also gives them a nice bit of extra crunch. They should only need to soak for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Dill
You want fresh dill here. That slightly grassy, sweet and anise flavor gives a big flavor boost to this whole dish. You can use dried dill in a pinch, but fresh dill is ideal.
Parsley
The fresh parsley here add an herby hit and adds some nice, leafy greenery to the salad. Keep it roughly chopped, nothing too fine. You want it to add some texture and variety to the orzo salad.
Olives
Any olives you are great. I went with some cured black olives and Castelvetrano olives. Make sure to pit them and tear into small bite size pieces.
Feta Cheese
Feta cheese, one of the classic Greek cheeses, is made from sheep’s milk and is aged in a brine. It has a salty, tangy flavor, and a great crumbly texture.
The feta cheese gives this Mediterranean orzo salad a delicious salty and sharp bite. It packs a ton of flavor and since it’s one of the bolder flavors used in this recipe, get a good one.
Oregano
A little pinch of dried oregano goes a long way to flavor this salad. The combo with the feat cheese and other herbs gives it a Greek orzo salad vibe. So good!
Olive Oil
You want a really good extra virgin olive oil for this recipe. You’re using lots in the salad and it should be a major flavor component. Souse that delicious peppery one you have saved just for salads and finishing.
Red Wine Vinegar
The red wine vinegar brings the whole salad together. Made from fermented red wine, it has a tangy, acidic taste and is slightly fruity. It brightens up the whole dish and adds a good hit of acid to balance everything out.
How do I make orzo pasta salad?
- First step is getting your orzo cooked. Boil it in salted water until al dente and drain.
Toss it in a touch of olive oil so it doesn’t stick together and then let it cool. It needs to be cool enough it won’t cook the vegetables, wilt the herbs or melt the cheese. Alternatively you can rinse it under cold water. Rinsing it will remove any starch from the surface of the orzo, which helps the oil and vinegar stick, so I typically prefer to simple let it cool, bit either way works. - Once the orzo has cooled to room temp toss in the rest of your ingredients and mix well. Adjust the seasoning if you need to, more salt, pepper, oil or vinegar. Then enjoy!
How long will orzo pasta salad last?
This orzo pasta salad can last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. I think it gets better as it sits for a day and all the flavors combine. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container.
What to serve with mediterranean orzo pasta salad? What goes with orzo pasta salad?
With Grilled Meat or Fish
I ate this with some grilled chicken, yogurt flatbread and tzatziki. A pretty typical meal in this household, but any grilled meat or fish goes great with this orzo salad.
On a bed of greens
Top a bed of greens with this and you have an orzo pasta salad salad! It’s a quick meal idea and great for a quick and easy summer dinner.
With grilled vegetables
Pair this with a spread of some grilled vegetables like zucchini, eggplant and peppers and add a side of hummus or tzatziki and you have another easy vegetarian meal.
What are some other orzo salad ideas?
Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
Toss your orzo with cucumbers, feta, dill, parsley, dried oregano, olive oil and lots of lemon juice for a tart lemony version of this orzo salad.
Orzo Pasta Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes
Instead of the bell peppers and fresh tomatoes, use a big handful of chopped sun-dried tomatoes for a delicious twist on a mediterranean orzo pasta salad.
Orzo with Chic Peas and Roasted Peppers
Toss in a can of drained chic peas, and use roasted red peppers instead of fresh bell peppers. This one sounds so good! Might need to make this one next…
Orzo Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb orzo
- 3 mini cucumbers diced
- 1 tomato diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 3 scallions sliced
- 1/2 C fresh dill chopped
- 1/2 C fresh parsley chopped
- 1 C pitted olives
- 8 oz feta crumbled
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 C olive oil
- 1/4 C red wine vinegar
- salt
- fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Boil your orzo in salted water till al dente. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
- Once orzo has cooled, mix with your diced veg, torn olives, crumbled feta, chopped dill and parsley, dried oregano, fresh ground black pepper and lots of olive oil and red wine vinegar. Toss, check for seasoning then eat up!
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