This orzo salad recipe is perfect for summer picnics and cookouts! Feta cheese, olives, and a zingy Greek dressing fill it with bold flavor.
If you need a last-minute side dish for a cookout or picnic this weekend, make this orzo salad recipe! It’s fresh and flavorful, easy to put together, and, like any good picnic salad, perfect for making ahead. Toss it together a few hours to a day before a summer gathering, and it’ll still taste great when you’re ready to eat.
But even if you’re not planning a cookout this weekend (or if your menu’s all set to go), stash this orzo salad recipe in your back pocket anyway. Because it keeps so well, it’s a great recipe to pack for lunch. Crispy cucumbers and juicy tomatoes play off briny olives and salty, tangy feta cheese. The orzo pasta and chickpeas make it nice and filling, and a zingy Greek dressing ties it all together. De-licious.
Orzo Salad Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this orzo pasta salad recipe:
- Orzo, of course! I love the way this tiny pasta shape mixes and mingles with the other ingredients.
- Cherry tomatoes – For sweet, juicy pops of flavor.
- Persian cucumbers – They add a cool, refreshing crunch.
- Red onion – Slice these guys as thinly as you can. I recommend using a mandoline if you have one!
- Kalamata olives – Their salty, briny flavor contrasts with the fresh herbs, cucumbers, and tomatoes.
- Feta cheese – Skip the pre-crumbled feta for this recipe. Instead, look for feta that comes in a block, preferably in brine. Its flavor and texture are SO much better. You’ll never get the crumbled kind again!
- Chickpeas – I love garbanzo beans with Mediterranean ingredients like feta and olives, so I couldn’t resist tossing them into this orzo salad. They make it more substantial too.
- Greek salad dressing – In this orzo salad, I make the dressing extra-bright by whisking in an additional tablespoon of red wine vinegar and a big squeeze of lemon juice.
- Fresh mint and/or basil – Pick just one, or use a mix.
- And sea salt and fresh black pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Cook the orzo, and dice up the veggies, feta, and olives while it cools.
Then, whisk up the dressing and toss it all together. Making this orzo salad recipe is as simple as that!
Orzo Salad Recipe Tips
- Cook the pasta a little past al dente. Whenever I make a pasta salad, I cook the pasta just past al dente, so that it stays tender after it cools.
- And let it cool before you add the veggies. If you toss the hot orzo with the tomatoes, cucumber, and onion, they’ll begin to wilt. Instead, drain the cooked orzo, dress it with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking, and spread it in an even layer on a large baking sheet to cool. When it reaches room temperature, proceed with the recipe.
- Make it ahead. You can make this orzo salad recipe up to a day in advance, but save the herbs to add at the last minute. If they sit in the dressing for too long, they’ll wilt, so it’s best to toss them in right before you eat. The salad may also dry out a bit in the fridge. If you think it needs more moisture, loosen it with a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
Orzo Salad Serving Suggestions
This orzo salad recipe is a perfect side dish for summer picnics and cookouts. Pair it with other cookout sides like grilled corn on the cob or grilled veggies, broccoli salad, potato salad, and/or coleslaw. If you need a main dish, try making one of these recipes:
- Best Veggie Burger
- Easy Black Bean Burger
- BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches
- Portobello Mushroom Burger
- Chickpea Salad Sandwich
If you have any leftovers, save them for lunch the next day. Thanks to the orzo, chickpeas, feta, and olives, the salad makes a light, yet satisfying, meal on its own.
More Favorite Pasta Salad Recipes
If you love this orzo salad recipe, try one of these fresh pasta salads next:
- Easy Pasta Salad
- Cherry Tomato Couscous Salad
- Vegan Pasta Salad
- Broccoli Pasta Salad
- Easy Macaroni Salad
- Or any of these 51 Best Salad Recipes!
Orzo Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ cups dry orzo pasta
- 1 recipe Greek Salad Dressing
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 Persian cucumbers, halved vertically, and sliced ¼-inch thick
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained, and rinsed
- 4 ounces feta cheese, cut into ¼-inch cubes
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
- 1 cup fresh basil and/or mint leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the package directions, or until slightly past al dente. Drain the orzo and toss it with a little olive oil, so that it doesn’t stick together. Spread onto a baking sheet to cool.
- Prepare the Greek Salad Dressing and add in the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, and sea salt.
- In a large bowl, toss together the cooked orzo, cucumbers, tomatoes, chickpeas, feta, red onion, and olives. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, add half the herbs, season with freshly ground black pepper, and toss to coat. Garnish with the remaining herbs and serve.
Great recipe! Served it as one of the side dishes for meal I served on the 4th of July, and it was a big hit
So glad it was a hit, Rebecca!
Would balsamic vinegar work just as well as red wine vinegar?
Hi Anna, I think if you used balsamic instead of red wine vinegar in the dressing and added the extra tablespoon of vinegar, it might have an overpowering flavor. I think a mix of balsamic and lemon juice would work though!
Loved this recipe. Only change I made was adding good quality canned tuna packed in olive oil. Delicious!!
I made a couple of changes to this, but it was excellent. One of the changes was that I didn’t add olives because I don’t like them. In their place, I did cut up pepperoni. I also added cubed red bell pepper and red pepper flakes. Next time I make this, which will be soon (I liked it that much), I’ll put some peppadew peppers in it
Hi Bobby, I’m so glad you loved it! I love the idea of adding peppadew peppers.
I’m going to make a huge batch of this for a party this weekend. Just wondering if you think it would work with Halloumi?
I’m thinking to do one option with orzo and then another option with Quinoa to make it gluten free. Do you think halloumi would work- I’m thinking to make it on Friday for a Saturday party
And also, can anyone tell me how much Oz or litres this recipe makes? I have 65 people coming and will be serving this as part of the buffet as a side, so just trying to work out how many times to double the recipe!
I made this last year and it was delicious. I wouldn’t necessarily adjust to fit the numbers exactly if it’s part of a buffet. Depending on the number of dishes you’re serving, you may find people take much smaller servings. (Not sure this is helpful!)
Hi Sarah, I think Halloumi (grilled and chopped up) would be great!
Delicious and great the next day! Nice fusion of Italian and Greek cuisine.
Can you double this recipe?
sure!
This was a really good dinner for a hot summer night! Made some slight adjustments based on what I had in the house (fresh mozzarella instead of feta and added a bell pepper and some shredded baby spinach) but otherwise stuck to the recipe.
If I make in advance, is there anythjng I should leave out?
Just the fresh herbs!
Would shrimp be a good addition to this salad? Would shrimp work better if chickpeas were left out?
This is a weekly staple at our house. Such a great recipe, so fresh and tasty! It’s the perfect side dish with a main!
I don’t see the recipe for the Greek salad dressing.
Hi Tom, you can find the dressing recipe here: https://www.loveandlemons.com/greek-salad-dressing/
Absolutely A Must Make.
It’s A Fantastic Easy Recipe That’s A Complete Crowd Pleaser .Can’t Believe I’ve only Just Discovered It But it’s Now A Weekly Dish In Our Home 🏡
Thank You xx
Perfect quick and easy recipe, very tasty, everyone loved it
Hi Laney, I’m so glad it was a hit!
Great recipe! Any idea how it would freeze?
Hi Lindsey, so glad you enjoyed it! I wouldn’t freeze this one—the veggies would get soggy when they thawed.
I’m confused about the dressing in the recipe – are you supposed to make the full batch of the linked dressing and add an additional 1 Tbsp of lemon and vinegar or just making the dressing with the ingredients mentioned in the recipe and ignore the ingredients linked in the Dressing Recipe (which also includes garlic and Dijon)?
Hi Suchita, sorry for the confusion! Make the full dressing that’s linked, then add the extra ingredients that are listed here—1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon, etc. The orzo needs the additional acid and garlic for pop!
Hi,
Why not add thr extra red wine vinegar , lemon juice, oregano and sea salt to the Greek salad dressing recipe to avoid the confusion? Or am I missing something?
I love this recipe! I frequently make it as a meal-prepped lunch. The chickpeas and feta add lots of protein to the meal. I have also made it to bring as a side for a gathering. I have made the salad dressing before, but generally just use Ken’s Greek Dressing rather than making my own dressing from scratch. I’ve recommended it to lots of friends and family as a meal-prepped lunch idea (really refreshing in the summer) and a potluck dish.
When you use Ken’s Greek dressing to you
still add the extra tablespoon of red wine vinegar and 1-tablespoon of lemon juice
(big squeeze)?
I make this almost weekly for my daughter and myself. To change it up sometimes I use white beans instead of chickpeas, or I’ll add in a red pepper. Love this recipe!
Hi Sheena, I’m so glad you love the recipe!