Greek Orzo Salad
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Fresh, colorful, and full of flavor! Greek Orzo Salad is packed with juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and briny olives tossed in a light lemon herb dressing.
I’m not going to lie. I have a hard time coming up with new side dishes. In the summer I often turn towards my standards like potato salad, pasta salad, or fresh fruit.
While there is nothing wrong with those, sometimes I need something different. Especially when I’m making a Greek dish.
I’m a huge fan of Greek food but we don’t have anywhere nearby that serves it so I usually have to make it myself.
My favorite Greek dish to make are Lamb Pita Sandwiches with Tzatziki Sauce. They are easy to make and we have them all year long. I also make a mean Greek style hummus burger with feta and tzatziki sauce. In the summer I like to make Greek Chicken Salad and serve on top of greens, in a pita, or with crackers.
When I make Greek meals I most often serve it with couscous or a Greek style couscous but that gets old after a while. I was looking for something new and found this Greek Orzo Salad.
What is Orzo?
Orzo is a type of small, rice-shaped pasta that’s made from semolina flour. Despite its appearance, it’s not a grain or rice, though it’s often used in similar ways.
One thing to note here is that you are going to want to cook the Orzo al dente otherwise it gets pretty mushy in this dish.
Once the orzo is cooked you add cucumbers, olives, tomatoes, chickpeas, and red onion to it. Then you add a zesty dressing made with vinegar, lemon juice, and djion mustard.
Can I add other vegetables to the orzo?
Yes! A few other things that would be good in this salad would be marinated artichokes, roasted red peppers, or even capers.
Ingredients:
- orzo
- small cucumber
- grape tomatoes
- chickpeas
- red onion
- fresh or dried dill
- kalamata olives
- red wine vinegar
- lemon juice
- olive oil
- dijon mustard
- garlic powder
- oregano
To make the salad cook the orzo according to the package directions. Drain and run under cold water. You might need to use a fine mesh sieve to drain the orzo as it will slip through a regular sides colander on the sides.
Add the cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, onion, dill, and olives and toss to combine. In a small bowl whisk the vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, garlic, and oregano. Pour over top of the orzo and stir to combine.
This salad was light and refreshing. All of the fresh vegetables along with the tangy dressing paired well together.
We served it along side of a lamb gyro bowl but it would be great as a side to any Greek or Mediterranean inspired meal. It’s also a good salad to take to outdoor events or summer events because it isn’t cream based.
How do you store orzo salad?
Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If it because dry add a bit of red wine vinegar and mix well.
Greek Orzo Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 8 ounces orzo pasta cooked and drained
- 1/2 small cucumber diced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 1 cup chickpeas
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 2 Tablespoons dried dill
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives sliced
For the Dressing:
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook the orzo two minutes less than it says on the box. Drain and rinse in cold water. Place in a large bowl.
- Add the cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, red onion, dill, and olives and toss to combine.
- In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, water, dijon mustard, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Pour over top of the orzo salad and mix to combine.
- Service with feta sprinkled on top if desired.
Notes
