Name: Greek Orzo Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 28 min
Yield: 5
Cuisine: American, Greek-Inspired
Ingredients: ¾ Cup Greek Dressing (homemade or store bought); 8 Ounces Uncooked Orzo; 1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes, halved; 1 Cup Kalamata Olives, halved; 6 Ounces Crumbled Feta; ½ Large English Cucumber, cut into bite sized pieces; ½ Cup Purple Onion, diced

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Greek Orzo Salad is a light pasta salad full of tender orzo, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, diced cucumber, and feta cheese all tossed in homemade Greek dressing.

If you’re looking for a light lunch that’s packed with flavor, this Greek orzo salad is right up your alley! It’s full of fresh flavors and is perfect for meal prepping a couple day ahead of time.

Several years ago, John made this Greek pasta salad for me, and it quickly became a favorite. From there, we’ve added a Greek yogurt marinated chicken breast to make it a Greek chicken pasta salad, and that’s also amazing!

I decided to see if I could lighten the original recipe up a bit by using orzo in place of the larger pasta noodles, and it turned out great. This orzo salad is packed with tomatoes, olives, cucumber, and feta tossed in our homemade Greek dressing.

How to make Greek orzo salad:

Cook the orzo according to the package directions. Drain, and transfer to a large bowl.
Add cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, diced cucumber, diced purple onion, and Feta cheese.
Drizzle with homemade Greek dressing.
Toss to combine.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Do you need to rinse orzo before cooking?

Orzo is a very small pasta noodle and does not require rinsing before it is cooked.

What are some variations or substitutions for Greek orzo salad?

Chickpeas
Red Wine Vinaigrette (in place of the Greek dressing)
Lemon Juice
Artichoke Hearts
Red or Yellow Bell Pepper
Black Olives
Garlic
Fresh Basil
Fresh Parsley
Oregano
Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

Can this pasta salad be made ahead?

Yes, this orzo salad can be made a day ahead. If you plan on serving it the following day or having leftovers, we recommend making extra Greek dressing to serve on the side. The ingredients tend to soak up quite a bit of the dressing, so it’s always great to have extra on hand.

Other pasta salad recipes you may enjoy:

Don’t forget to check out our Greek Orzo Pasta Salad web story!

Greek Orzo Salad

Yield: About 5 Cups

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

Greek Orzo Salad is a light pasta salad full of tender orzo, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, diced cucumber, and feta cheese all tossed in homemade Greek dressing.

Ingredients

Dressing:

¾ Cup Greek Dressing (homemade or store bought)

Salad:

8 Ounces Uncooked Orzo
1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1 Cup Kalamata Olives, halved
6 Ounces Crumbled Feta
½ Large English Cucumber, cut into bite sized pieces
½ Cup Purple Onion, diced

Instructions

Cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cool water, and drain again. Transfer the orzo to a large bowl.
Add the tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, cucumber, and purple onion. Drizzle with Greek dressing, and toss to combine.
Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Enjoy cold. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

*The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of ½ cup of orzo salad. Actual calories will vary.

*For more information, tips, and answers to frequently asked questions, please refer to the post.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10 Serving Size: .5 Cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 229Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 351mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 6g

*The calories are an estimate and are based on the ingredients and serving size listed. The calories can vary depending on the brand of product purchased.