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This Mediterranean Orzo Salad is a quick and easy pasta salad made with tender orzo, fresh vegetables, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and a simple lemon-oregano dressing. Light, colorful, and full of texture, it’s perfect for make-ahead lunches, potlucks, BBQs, or as a fresh side dish for grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, or kabobs.
As far as pasta salads go, this Mediterranean orzo salad is easily one of my favorites. It’s made with a simple combination of tender orzo, crisp vegetables, creamy feta, and fresh herbs tossed in a light lemon dressing. Irresistibly fresh and full of texture, it comes together quickly thanks to orzo, a small, rice-shaped pasta that gives the salad a little more substance without weighing it down.
Why You’ll Love This Mediterranean Orzo Salad
- Features simple, fresh ingredients
- Lemony, Mediterranean-inspired flavor
- Easy to make ahead for potlucks, picnics, BBQs, and lunches
- Travels well
- Perfect as a side dish or main dish salad
- Easy to customize
Table of Contents
Mediterranean Orzo Salad Ingredients & Substitutions
- Orzo pasta: Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta made from wheat. Although it looks a lot like rice, it cooks like pasta and has a soft, tender texture that works well in soups like lemon chicken orzo soup, fresh salads, and simple side dishes. Orzo can be swapped with another small pasta shape, pearl couscous, or quinoa.
- Cucumber: English or Persian cucumbers work best since they have thin skin and fewer seeds. If you plan to add a regular garden cucumber, peel it first and scoop out the seeds to keep the salad from getting watery.
- Cherry tomatoes: Sweet, juicy, and easy to toss into the salad. Grape tomatoes also work well.
- Bell pepper: I used yellow bell pepper, but red or orange bell pepper are also delicious.
- Red onion: Adds a little sharpness and crunch. Slice it thin or finely chop it so it doesn’t overpower the other flavors in the salad.
- Kalamata olives: Briny, salty, and full of Mediterranean flavor. Black olives can be used in a pinch, but Kalamata olives have the best flavor here.
- Feta cheese: Adds creamy, salty flavor. For best flavor and texture, purchase a block of feta packed in brine and crumble it yourself. Pre-crumbled feta works, but it tends to be drier and less flavorful.
- Fresh herbs: Parsley and mint keep the salad bright and fresh. Fresh dill would also be delicious.
- The lemon-oregano dressing: Made with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, fresh garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. It’s simple, bright, and ties everything together.
Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Mediterranean Orzo Salad
- Cook the orzo: Boil the orzo in salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water so it cools quickly and doesn’t stick together.
- Chop the vegetables: Dice the cucumber and bell pepper, halve the tomatoes, slice the red onion, and chop the fresh herbs.
- Make the dressing: Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Taste and add additional lemon juice, salt, or pepper, if needed.
- Combine: Add the cooled orzo, vegetables, olives, and herbs to a large bowl, then pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is lightly coated.
- Finish: Fold in the feta, then chill for 30 to 60 minutes if you have time.
Jessica’s Pro Tips
Dice the vegetables small enough to get a little of everything in each bite. Bonus: you can usually finish most of the chopping while the orzo cooks.
Let the salad chill before serving if you have the time. Even 30 to 60 minutes in the refrigerator gives the orzo a little time to soak up some of the lemon dressing, and helps the flavors come together.
Rinse and drain the orzo well so it doesn’t stick together. Drain the orzo, then rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking. If it still wants to stick, toss it with a tiny drizzle of olive oil before adding the vegetables.
Recipe Variations
- Add grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, or chickpeas for extra protein.
- Stir in artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, or baby spinach.
- Swap feta with goat cheese or small pearl mozzarella.
- Add fresh dill or basil for extra herb flavor.
- Make it extra briny with a spoonful of capers.
What to Serve with Mediterranean Orzo Salad
This Mediterranean orzo salad makes a beautiful side dish for just about any warm-weather meal. I especially love it with grilled or roasted proteins like Greek chicken marinade, chicken shish kabobs, baked salmon, Greek lemon chicken thighs, and Greek meatballs. For a lighter Mediterranean-style spread, serve it with falafel, hummus, tzatziki, and warm pita bread.
Tip: If you plan to serve this salad outdoors, keep the salad chilled and avoid leaving it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- To make ahead: This Mediterranean orzo salad can be made up to 1 day in advance. For the freshest flavor and texture, wait to add the feta cheese and fresh herbs until just before serving.
- To store: Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Before serving, give the salad a good stir and taste. Add a splash of olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or a pinch of salt and pepper to brighten it back up.
- To freeze: I do not recommend freezing this salad. The fresh vegetables will become soft and watery once thawed.
More Picnic Salad Recipes
If you try making this easy Mediterranean orzo pasta salad recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and a star rating below, your feedback helps other readers discover (and enjoy) this recipe too. Thank you so much! 💛
Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 cup dry orzo
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup Kalamata olives, sliced
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the orzo: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 1 cup dry orzo and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool the orzo completely.
- Prepare the vegetables and herbs: While the orzo cooks, dice 1 cup cucumber and 1 yellow bell pepper, halve 1 cup cherry tomatoes, thinly slice ¼ cup red onion, slice ⅓ cup Kalamata olives, and chop ¼ cup parsley and 2 tablespoons mint.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Combine the salad: Add the cooled orzo, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, Kalamata olives, parsley, and mint to a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and toss gently to combine.
- Add the feta: Fold in ½ cup crumbled feta cheese. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice, if needed.
- Chill and serve: Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes to give the flavors time to mingle.
Notes
- English or Persian cucumbers work best since they have thin skin and fewer seeds. If using a regular garden cucumber, peel it first and scoop out the seeds.
- Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes both work well. Larger tomatoes can also be used, but remove some of the seeds first to keep the salad from getting watery.
- Kalamata olives add the best briny Mediterranean flavor, but black olives can be used in a pinch.
- For the best flavor and texture, buy a block of feta packed in brine and crumble it yourself. Pre-crumbled feta works, but it tends to be drier.
- This salad tastes even better after chilling for 30 to 60 minutes.
- You can make this Mediterranean orzo salad up to 1 day in advance. For the freshest flavor and texture, wait to fold in the feta cheese and fresh herbs until just before serving. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if needed.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before serving and brighten it back up with a little olive oil, lemon juice, salt, or pepper if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made the Mediterranean Orzo salad and love it! I am trying to stick to Mediterranean recipes for their healthy ingredients but often find red wine vinegar as an ingredient. Red wine in any amount or form, as in a glass of wine or as in red wine vinegar, gives my husband a three day migraine headache. Red wine is not in our pantry! Your recipe was perfect!!