Greek orzo salad, a fresh, robust, Mediterranean pasta salad with juicy vegetables and pulses, makes a satisfying simple meal or a useful addition to barbecues and picnics.
Greek orzo salad
Deliciously fresh and juicy, this herby Greek orzo salad is like a classic Greek village salad with silky-smooth grains of orzo pasta for extra substance.
See also
- Greek pasta salad, a more robust pasta salad with all those village salad flavours
- Enjoy this delicious Greek dressing on all your salad dishes
- This homemade Greek seasoning can be the secret ingredient that gives all your dishes that Mediterranean style
Orzo is the Italian name, of course, and that is how these little pasta shapes are sold outside of Greece, where they are called kritharaki. Both names refer to an ear of barley, and that is just how orzo looks.
The little grains are perfect for fluffing up into a pasta salad that contains at least as much of the flavour ingredients as pasta. This Greek orzo salad is full of the good stuff and never stodgy.
Feta cheese, olives, salad vegetables, chickpeas and fresh herbs make a main course salad that is refreshing and nourishing. Sunshine on a plate!
I find this salad great for for parties, especially as it offers something different – we don’t tend to use this rather wonderful pasta shape so much in the UK, but we really should.
Why make Greek orzo salad
- fresh and simple
- packed with herbs and vegetables
- easy to make
- never sticks!
Greek orzo salad ingredients
- Orzo – delicious grain-like pasta shapes. You can use other very small pasta shapes instead, including those sold for soup, such as mini macaroni. There are some very pretty, child-appealing options like squiggles and stars.
- Greek salad dressing – I use my Greek dressing with herbs and lemon. If you don’t have any ready made, you can throw all the ingredients in the bowl and mix before you add the pasta. Use 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 of vinegar, one third of a tsp of seasoning and mustard, two thirds tsp honey and a third of the lemon zest.
- Parsley and mint – fresh herbs are key
- Feta – fresh and sharp, half an 8 oz (200 g) block
- Fresh salad vegetables – ripe vine tomatoes, cucumber and spring onion
- Olives – I used a pouch of mixed olives. Kalamata are the classic Greek olive but use your favourite.
- Chickpeas – half a drained, rinsed can (or cook your own in the normal way if that’s what you like to do). Pulses or legumes are an important part of Greek cuisine. Use giant Greek broad beans instead if you prefer.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
Different brands of canned chickpeas vary dramatically. I keep two different kinds – one soft for adding to salads and making hummus, and one that is firmer and can be cooked in soups and stews for longer without falling apart. It is not a case of one size fits all!
- Lemon – for the juice. If you make a batch of Greek dressing, use the juice from the lemon you will need to zest for the dressing.
How to make orzo salad – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Following the instructions on the packet, cook the orzo until it is on the cooked side of al dente, retaining some bite. Drain and shake well. Place in a bowl with the dressing and lemon juice and stir in.
It may look like too much dressing at this stage but the warm pasta will absorb some of that dressing, taking up the flavours as it cools. Dressing the pasta while warm helps to avoid sticky pasta salad.
Step Two – While the pasta is cooling, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Drain the olives if they are in brine.
Quarter the tomatoes, chop the cucumber and spring onion, cut the olives in half, and dice the feta. I like everything chopped into similar sized bites, to about the size of the chickpeas.
Chop the herbs, reserving a few for garnish. The easiest way to do this is to put them in a mug and snip them with a pair of scissors. You don’t need fancy herb cutters!
Add everything to the cooled pasta and gently fold in. Take care not to mash the feta as you do this.
Step Three – Transfer to a serving bowl. Finish with a little ground black pepper and garnish with the remaining parsley and mint.
Serving suggestion
This salad is delicious as a simple main meal or lunch but equally good as part of a spread for a barbecue or picnic.
Variations
This recipe is very flexible and you can add your favourite flavours:
- use beans instead of chickpeas
- add some rinsed and finely chopped preserved lemons
- add some sundried/sun blush tomatoes.
- use some chopped preserved chillis or roasted red peppers
- serve topped with grilled halloumi
- stir through some jarred Greek mezze such as jarred seafood salad
Storage
Fridge – Keeps for up to three days in a sealed container. Not suitable for freezing.
Hints and tips
- If you want to prepare this in advance, leave chopping and stirring in the herbs until you are almost ready to serve.
Keep cut herbs fresh by standing the stems in water as you would with a vase of flowers, cover with a plastic bag and keep in the fridge.
- Leftover chickpeas and feta can safely be stored in the fridge in sealed containers for three days. Keep the feta covered in the brine or oil in which it came so that it does not dry out. Similarly, keep the chickpeas in their brine or soaking water, or drizzle with oil.
- Choose ripe tomatoes and keep them on the counter rather than in the fridge. Chilling diminishes the flavour.
FAQs
Yes. Orzo is traditional, but the tiny pasta shells and other shapes sold for soup would work well.
You need to get the pasta to take up some of the dressing. That’s why I put the dressing on while the pasta is still warm. It makes all the difference.
It’s your diet that is healthy or not healthy, but there are plenty of good things in this salad and no nasties.
Absolutely not! The feta and olives already have a salty edge to them.
More Greek style recipes
- Easy Greek chicken – a delicious one-pot recipe of chicken and rice
- Greek lemon potatoes – delicious lemon roasted mini potatoes
- Baked feta and tomatoes with garlic – punchy flavous to grace any mezze
- Fried halloumi salad with baked pomegranate grapes – simple perfection!
Greek Orzo Salad
Ingredients
- 100 g (½ cup) orzo pasta
- 3 tbsp Greek dressing
- ½ lemon (juice only)
- 3 inches cucumber
- ½ can chickpeas
- 10-12 olives
- handful of cherry tomatoes
- 1 spring onion (scallion)
- 100 g feta cheese (half a packet)
- 1 handful mint and parsley
Instructions
- Start by cooking the orzo according to the packet instructions. It should be slightly al dente. Drain thoroughly.100 g orzo pasta
- Put the still-warm pasta in a bowl with the dressing and lemon juice, and mix well.3 tbsp Greek dressing, ½ lemon
- While the pasta cools, drain the chickpeas and olives. Chop the vegetables and feta into small pieces, about the same size as the chickpeas and olives. Snip the herbs with a pair of scissors.3 inches cucumber, handful of cherry tomatoes, ½ can chickpeas, 100 g feta cheese, 10-12 olives, 1 spring onion (scallion), 1 handful mint and parsley
- Add the other ingredients to the cooled pasta mix, stirring in gently to avoid crushing the cheese.
- Season with a little black pepper and serve garnished with extra herbs.
Notes
Storage
Fridge – Keeps for up to three days in a sealed container. Not suitable for freezing.Hints and tips
- If you want to prepare this in advance, leave chopping and stirring in the herbs until you are almost ready to serve.
Keep cut herbs fresh by standing the stems in water as you would with a vase of flowers, cover with a plastic bag and keep in the fridge.
- Leftover chickpeas and feta can safely be stored in the fridge in sealed containers for three days. Keep the feta covered in the brine or oil in which it came so that it does not dry out. Similarly, keep the chickpeas in their brine or soaking water, or drizzle with oil.
- Choose ripe tomatoes and keep them on the counter rather than in the fridge. Chilling diminishes the flavour.
- If you don’t have Greek dressing made up, make it in the bowl before adding the warm pasta. Use 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 of vinegar, one third of a tsp of seasoning and mustard, two thirds tsp honey and a third of the lemon zest.
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