Greek Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe
The perfect combo of pasta salad + Greek salad! Fresh, crisp veggies pair up with tender pasta, fresh herbs, salty Kalamata olives, and creamy feta plus a full-of-flavor Greek vinaigrette.
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.
Notes
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.Nutrition Facts
Serving: 1g, Calories: 207kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 331mg, Potassium: 174mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 540IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 1mg