This Mediterranean orzo salad is easy, fresh, healthy, and quick! It makes a satisfying and nutritious side dish or light meal.
This Greek orzo salad comes together fast (in about 15-20 minutes), and it's great for meal prepping as well. Make the salad, portion it out, and you've got healthy lunches or easy dinners for a few days.
This salad is pretty much your standard Greek salad but with some orzo added to make it extra filling. I love how fresh this salad is! I think many people think of salads as a summer food, but really this works year-round to get some veggies in.
This Mediterranean orzo pasta salad has feta, Kalamata olives, tomatoes, cucumber, red onions, oregano, and a bit of parsley. I left out the bell peppers, but you could definitely add them (I forgot to pick them up at the store... story of my life). 😀
It's easily customizable. Don't love olives? Leave 'em out. Want to make this vegan? Leave the feta cheese out. You could even add ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes or artichoke hearts depending on what you have in your pantry/enjoy eating. If you're going to eat it right away, you could even add some arugula or spinach. I love pairing them with orzo (you may also like my spinach and orzo salad).
Pro tip: Make sure to adjust the oil and vinegar quantities to suit your tastes. And make sure to season it well since there's a fair bit of orzo in here.
What to serve with this orzo salad
Enjoy this salad with my Easiest Baked Chicken Thighs, some Homemade Tzatziki, or this deliciously crispy Saganaki (Greek Fried Cheese).
More Mediterranean-inspired recipes to try:
- Mediterranean Lentil Salad
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Easy Greek Pasta Salad
Questions about this Mediterranean orzo salad? Made this recipe? I'd love it if you left me a comment below!
Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- 2.5 ounces cubed feta (I used one packed in oil + herbs)
- 1-2 tablespoons red onion chopped
- 1 (10.5 ounce) package little tomatoes (grape or cherry) halved
- 4 Persian (mini) cucumbers sliced
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives pitted & halved
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Cook orzo al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Prep your other ingredients.
- Once the orzo has cooled, add all ingredients to a large bowl. I suggest starting with 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, tossing the salad, then adding more if needed. Garnish with fresh parsley if using.
Notes
- Serves 2-4 depending on how much people eat.
- Feel free to eyeball the ingredients such as the olives and onion.
- You can replace the red wine vinegar with fresh lemon juice if you prefer.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Christelle says
Hot Weather call for a quick and easy recipe. This salad is fresh, crisp and delicious.
For a vegan alternative I used “Sheese Greek Style” to replace the Feta cheese and I added a little bit more oregano.
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 And thanks for the tip on the feta replacement!
Kristina says
My husband and I really love this salad! It is filling and isn't heavy. Today is my second time making it. Thank you for the awesome and simple recipe!
Natasha says
You're very welcome, Kristina! 😀
Marie says
I made the recipe just as it’s listed and it was delicious. I have another great pasta dish
Natasha says
So happy to hear that!
Claire says
Wonderful recipe! My husband added avocado and red leaf lettuce to give it more of a salad-y feel, and it was so good. I would add a tad more orzo (1/2 cup?) if adding anything extra to the recipe. Thanks!
Natasha says
So glad you enjoyed it, Claire!
Kelley B says
Love love love this. I just amended it a little and added baby spinach. Thank you!!
Natasha says
You're very welcome! 🙂
Jill says
Would cilantro be good with this? In place of parsley?
Natasha says
I like cilantro, so I'd say yes! 🙂
Michelle says
Wonderful salad. Light and refreshing.
Natasha says
Very happy you liked it, Michelle! Thanks for letting me know!
Carla says
Lovely salad! Added cooked shrimp! Thanks for the recipe.
Natasha says
Yay! Thanks for letting me know!
del says
Sounds gr8 . here in Capetown we are sweating....high temps and salads like this are tops. Thnku....will try it shortly and rep ort back
.
Natasha says
Enjoy!!
amy says
I could eat the entire bowl in one sitting! This is one of my favorites.
Natasha says
Excellent! Thanks, Amy!