Orzo Salad

This EASY Orzo Salad is an easy side dish recipe loaded with classic Mediterranean flavors like tomatoes and cucumbers, roasted red peppers, feta cheese, olives, and more!

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Course: Pasta, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Greek, Mediterranean

Servings: people

Calories: 245kcal

Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

1 ½ cups uncooked orzo
1 tablespoon avocado oil can sub olive oil
3 chicken bouillon cubes or 1 ½-2 tbsp kosher salt
1 (16 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (12 oz.) jar roasted red peppers drained and sliced
1 (12 oz.) jar artichoke hearts drained and sliced
¾ English cucumber diced (about 2 cups)
1 pint cherry tomatoes sliced (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup red onions finely diced
½ cup pitta kalamata olives or black olives
¾ cup Feta cheese crumbled
¼ cup parsley roughly chopped
1 tablepsoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup Greek salad dressing see notes for homemade version

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 3 chicken bouillon cubes. (If preferred, you can use 1.5 to 2 tbsp. kosher salt instead of bouillon cubes.)
Boil the orzo for 30 seconds less than al dente according to package instructions. Set a timer to avoid overcooking it. Drain and spread it out on a tray or parchment paper and drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons oil. Let it cool.
Meanwhile, prepare the remaining salad ingredients.
Combine the cooled orzo and additional salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with dressing. If possible, chill for 1-2 hours prior to serving.
If preparing 8-12 hours ahead of time: Toss with up to 1/2 cup additional dressing prior to serving, as the pasta continues to absorb the dressing during storage.

Notes

Pro Tips:

Be sure to use a timer when you boil your pasta to ensure that you don’t overcook it. I like to cook it for 30 seconds less than al dente, as it cools gradually, during which time it finishes cooking.
Adding bouillon cubes to the boiling water for the orzo gives it a more savory depth of flavor.
Roasted Red Peppers: 1 whole red or green bell pepper may be used instead if preferred. I like the depth that the roasted peppers add to this dish.
Artichoke Hearts: 1-2 cups of baby spinach can be used instead of artichoke hearts if preferred. I like to roughly chop it before adding it.
English cucumbers are ideal for this salad. They’re sweeter, smoother, and have thinner skin, which means you don’t have to peel them. They also have thinner seeds and less water content when compared to regular cucumbers.
Red Cherry tomatoes that are still on the vine add a ton of fresh flavor as well.
Veggies: Place the roasted red peppers on a few layers of paper towels to remove excess liquid. I also do this for the tomatoes, cucumbers, and artichoke hearts. (We don’t want a watery salad.)
Pita or Naan Bread is great with this. I put this mini Naan bread in my toaster, cut it into small triangles, and place them in a bowl next to the salad!
Adding Chicken: Grilled or rotisserie chicken makes a great addition to this and can transform this into a meal!
Italian dressing is a great alternative to Greek Dressing if preferred.

Homemade Greek Salad Dressing- Makes 1 cup

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

See detailed instructions for salad dressing prep here.

Storage:

Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days.

Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 12 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition