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Easy Orzo Pasta Salad

5 from 1 vote
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posted: 06/26/17

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy
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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

This Easy Orzo Pasta Salad is delicious and combines the perfect flavors in this Mediterranean salad. It makes such a great side dish!

The Easy Orzo Pasta Salad has sliced cherry tomatoes, olives, and sliced cucumbers.

This easy Orzo Pasta Salad is perfect if you are looking for something to bring to a summer picnic. It comes together with really simple ingredients. This pasta salad would make the best side for so many recipes. You could also add some chicken or tuna to make it a healthy lunch!

How to Make Orzo Pasta Salad

  1. Cook the pasta. Bring the water to a roaring boil and add a teaspoon of kosher salt. Set a timer and cook for the length of time indicated on the package. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water.
  2. Cut the vegetables. While the pasta is cooking, chop up the veggies. Multitasking is what makes this recipe move so quickly.
  3. Make the dressing. This recipe has an incredibly simple dressing. There are so many other great flavors happening, that it works. If you want to jazz it up a little more add our Balsamic Dressing or Greek Dressing.
  4. Combine all of the ingredients.
An overhead photo of a white bowl with the ingredients of the Easy Orzo Pasta Salad which is not mixed. (Orzo, red peppers, cucumbers, olives, chickpeas, and cherry tomatoes)

What is Orzo?

Whenever I post an orzo recipe, someone asks me what it is. Orzo is a small pasta that is a little bigger than rice but made from the same flour as other pastas. It is great in soup, like this Lemon Orzo Soup, and I love it pasta salads like this one or my California Roll Pasta Salad.

How to Cook Orzo for Pasta Salad

Like any pasta, there are a few things that help orzo turn out perfect.

  • Bring the water to a roaring boil. This is a really easy mistake to make, but you want the water to be at a roaring boil before the pasta hits it. We are talking really big bubbles.
  • Salt the water. Adding a little kosher salt to your pasta water can help pull together the whole recipe.
  • Cook it for the the length of the time indicated on the box. I always set a timer when I cook my pasta. This is an easy way to make sure it is el dente.
A spoonful of the Easy Orzo Pasta salad showing the rainbow colors of the cherry tomatoes, orzo, olives, and cucumbers

What to Pair with Orzo Pasta Salad

I love this recipe on the side of hamburgers, but there are so many great dishes to serve it with!

If you make this Orzo Pasta Salad recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

5 from 1 vote

Easy Orzo Pasta Salad

Serves: 15 small servings
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
This Easy Orzo Pasta Salad is delicious and combines the perfect flavors in this Mediterranean salad. It makes such a great side dish!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup orzo cooked and drained
  • 15 ounces garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 seedless cucumber diced
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes sliced in half
  • 1 red pepper diced
  • 1/2 cup kalamata olives sliced
  • 3.5 ounces low fat feta cheese crumbled
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • While the pasta is cooking, chop the vegetables.
  • Drain the cooked pasta and rinse with cold water.
  • In a large bowl combine the cooked pasta with the vegetables, beans, olives, parsley, and feta.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss with the salad. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
Author: Lisa Longley
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

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Easy Orzo Pasta Salad

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Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

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  1. averie @ averie cooks says

    I don’t make orzo often enough and it’s so good! Quick easy dinners after sports practices are also a must, love this!

    • Lisa Longley says

      I totally agree Averie!

  2. Liz @ The Lemon Bowl says

    This is my favorite type of food!!

  3. Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles says

    Totally my kind of salad – and so perfect with those turkey burgers!

  4. Sommer @ A Spicy Perspective says

    This is a perfect quick summer meal!

  5. Terry says

    5 stars
    Delish!

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