Orzo Pasta Salad
This orzo pasta salad recipe uses rice-shaped pasta as the base, which means every bite carries dressing instead of pooling it at the bottom of the bowl the way larger pasta shapes do. Twenty-five minutes covers the entire process, from boiling the orzo to tossing the last handful of feta on top.
Equipment
- Large pot - at least 4 quarts
- Fine Mesh Colander - to drain orzo without losing grains
- Large mixing bowl - at least 4-quart capacity
- Small mixing bowl - for dressing, or a jar
- Citrus Zester
- Salad spinner - (optional) for drying herbs
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups orzo pasta - 280g
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes - 300g, halved
- 1 medium English cucumber - about 300g, diced small
- 0.5 cup red onion - 75g, finely diced
- 0.5 cup kalamata olives - 75g, pitted and halved
- 6 oz feta cheese - 170g, crumbled
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley - 15g, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil - 8g, chopped
For the Dressing
- 0.33 cup extra virgin olive oil - 80ml
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice - 45ml, plus zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar - 15ml
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt - to taste
- black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Cook the orzo in generously salted boiling water until al dente (8-9 minutes), drain, rinse briefly with cool water, shake well, and spread out on a sheet pan to cool quickly.
- Halve the cherry tomatoes and drain on paper towels. Dice the cucumber to similar size as tomatoes. Finely dice the red onion (soak in cold water for 5 minutes if you prefer milder flavor). Pit and halve the kalamata olives. Chop parsley and basil.
- Combine extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, and dried oregano. Whisk or shake until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the cooled orzo in a large mixing bowl. Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the orzo and toss to coat. Add tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and olives. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until well combined.
- Sprinkle with crumbled feta, parsley, and basil. Fold once or twice to distribute without breaking up the feta. Add remaining dressing to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.
Notes
- Pasta water salt: Salt the pasta water generously like the sea - under-salted water leaves the dish flat no matter how much you season the dressing later.
- Cool before dressing: Tossing hot orzo directly with raw vegetables will soften them and release excess liquid. Cool the pasta completely before combining.
- Reserve dressing for leftovers: Orzo continues absorbing liquid in the fridge. Hold back a few tablespoons of dressing to toss in right before serving leftovers.
- Drain tomatoes and cucumber: Salting and draining these vegetables on paper towels removes excess moisture and prevents a watery salad.
- Crumble feta by hand: Block feta is creamier and lacks the powdery anti-caking coating found in pre-crumbled versions.
- Don't skip lemon zest: The zest carries the citrus aromatic oils and adds depth that lemon juice alone cannot provide.
- Rest before serving: Allow the salad to sit for at least 20 minutes for the flavors to meld together.
- Tame raw onion: Soak diced red onion in cold water for 5 minutes to mellow the sharpness before adding to the salad.
- Warm it up: Bring the salad to room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the olive oil to loosen and the flavors to open up.
- Versatile base: Add grilled chicken, chickpeas, or tuna to make this a full meal. Swap feta for goat cheese or omit for a dairy-free version.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 8gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 480mgPotassium: 220mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 8mg
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