If you can’t decide between greek salad or pasta salad, here’s your solution: Greek Orzo Pasta Salad!
This fresh and easy Greek pasta salad brings orzo pasta, veggies, olives, and feta together with a Greek vinaigrette, and it’s absolutely divine. One of my fave pasta salad recipes yet!
I love this fresh and easy pasta salad so much. It’s packed with fresh veggies – crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy red bell peppers. Fresh mint and parsley add bright flavor. Then there’s the full-of-flavor, Greek-salad inspired vinaigrette with oregano and Dijon mustard.
Oh, and can’t forget the Kalamata olives and salty feta. And tender orzo. Basically this salad is a conglomeration of everything I love. Except the word “conglomeration” is not the tastiest-sounding word, but I’m sure you catch my drift. It’s DELISH.
Table of Contents
- The Story Behind the Recipe
- Why You’ll Love Greek Orzo Salad
- Ingredients
- Adaptations/Variations
- How to Make Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
- Tips for Success
- More Pasta Salad Recipes
The Story Behind the Recipe
I’m a huge fan of pasta salad, and especially orzo pasta salad. There’s just something about that rice-sized pasta that works so well in a pasta salad, soaking up the flavors around it, adding amazing texture, yet letting the veggies shine.
In the past, I’ve created an orzo chickpea olive salad, an orzo chickpea cherry tomato salad, and an orzo pasta salad with hazelnuts and cherries.
But I’ve been on a massive Greek salad kick this year, so it was time to combine the classic elements of Greek salad with pasta salad, and here we are: Greek Orzo Pasta Salad.
Why You’ll Love Greek Orzo Salad
Well, for one, this salad tastes amazing! It’s so fresh and lively.
It’s also super meal-prep friendly: It’s one of those refrigerator-friendly salads that you can make ahead of time and enjoy all week long as a side dish or easy lunch salad.
It’s also the perfect potluck or BBQ salad. Be prepared for recipe requests!
Ingredients
- Orzo pasta: You’ll want about half a box, or 8 ounces, of orzo.
- Cherry tomatoes: Grape tomatoes will work, too. Cut them in half, or, if they’re large, go ahead and quarter them.
- English cucumber: I love English cucumbers because you don’t have to peel them and they’re always crisp and full of flavor. If you use a standard cuke, you’ll want to peel it first. Persian cucumbers are great in this, too!
- Red bell pepper: Feel free to substitute orange or yellow if you like. Bonus: An even MORE colorful Greek pasta salad!
- Feta: I love the salty and creamy notes feta adds to the mix. It also doesn’t get more Greek than that!
- Kalamata olives: Grab the already-pitted ones to make it easier on yourself.
- Parsley & mint: Fresh herbs add so much flavor and pretty color.
For the dressing:
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Red wine vinegar: White wine vinegar or champagne vinegar will also work.
- Dijon mustard: Adds flavor and emulsifies the dressing.
- Garlic: Finely mince it, or use a Microplane zester to get it extra fine.
- Oregano, salt, & pepper
Adaptations/Variations
- Add 1/2 teaspoon onion powder (shown in the ingredients photo but not strictly necessary) for a bonus boost of flavor.
- Swap the orzo for a straight-up Greek pasta salad: You don’t have to use orzo if you can’t find it or don’t want to! Any small or medium pasta shape will do. Small shells or rotini are especially good.
- Vegan option: Omit the feta cheese. This salad is still delicious without it! You might want to add a pinch or two extra of salt, or some extra olives, to compensate for it.
- Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free orzo pasta.
How to Make Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
First, you’ll want to cook the orzo so that it has time to cool.
Next, mix together the vinaigrette. I love the shortcut of mixing the vinaigrette right in the bottom of the salad bowl. Less dishes!
Then, add the veggies, feta, olives, and herbs to the bowl along with the cooled orzo.
From there, toss everything together. You’re done!
Tips for Success
- For the flavors to really meld, place your Greek orzo pasta salad in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.
- You can make this salad up to 4 days ahead of time. Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge and give it a quick stir to freshen it up before serving. I might sprinkle a few extra fresh herbs on top right before serving too, just to make it look extra pretty.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
- Classic Creamy Macaroni Salad
- Chickpea Orzo Salad with Olives & Capers
- Cherry Tomato Chickpea Orzo Salad
- Pea Pesto Pasta Salad
- Cherry Hazelnut Orzo Salad
Greek Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 8 ounces orzo pasta (about 1 1/3 cups)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1/2 English cucumber (chopped; about 1 cup)
- 1/2 red bell pepper (diced; about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives (sliced)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (minced)
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint (minced)
For the Greek vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove (minced or finely grated)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the orzo pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and let cool. If you're in a hurry, you can rinse it with cold water to cool it, but I prefer not to rinse if it I can avoid it.
- Make the Greek vinaigrette right in your salad bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a large bowl until emulsified.
- Add the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, feta, olives, parsley, and mint to the bowl.
- Add the cooled orzo to the bowl.
- Stir gently but thoroughly, coating all of the ingredients with the vinaigrette.
- Serve immediately, or, for best flavor, chill for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to melt together.
Hi! I’m Karen – I’m a real person with real recipes. No A.I. here! Since 2009, every recipe on Kitchen Treaty is thoroughly tested and loved before I hit “publish.” I’m a home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m a vegetarian married to a carnivore, and my goal is to coexist deliciously.
Thank you for sharing the amazing recipe of pasta salad. It was so yummy.
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for the review.
This Greek Orzo Pasta Salad is an absolute game-changer! The vibrant flavors blend together perfectly, making every bite a delicious Mediterranean escape.
Your Greek Orzo Pasta Salad is a masterpiece! The freshness of the ingredients and the zesty dressing make it so refreshing and delightful. I can’t get enough!