Orzo Pasta Salad
Greek Orzo Pasta Salad is a fresh and easy pasta salad made with orzo, crisp vegetables, feta cheese, and a simple homemade dressing. It’s perfect for potlucks, BBQs, meal prep, or a quick side dish.
Servings: 8
Cost: $9.57, $1.20 per Servings
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups uncooked orzo pasta
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 English cucumber diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- ½ red onion finely chopped
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives halved
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- Homemade Dressing:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook 1½ cups uncooked orzo pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes, 1 diced English cucumber, 1 diced red bell pepper, ½ finely chopped red onion, ½ cup halved Kalamata olives, ½ cup crumbled feta cheese, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper until well combined.
- Add the cooled orzo pasta to the large bowl with the vegetables and feta cheese.
- Pour the homemade dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss gently to combine, ensuring that the dressing evenly coats the pasta and vegetables.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend together.
- Before serving, give the pasta salad a quick toss and taste for seasoning. Adjust salt and pepper if needed.
Video
Notes
Letting the salad chill for at least 30 minutes allows the flavors to develop and blend together. You can make the salad up to a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Kalamata olives add a briny, salty flavor to the salad. You can substitute black olives or just leave them out if you prefer.
Nutrition
Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 402mg | Potassium: 319mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1030IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 1mg
