This easy Orzo Salad recipe is delicious and combines the perfect flavors in this Mediterranean salad. It makes such a great side dish for any BBQ or picnic!
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
This is a brief overview of how to make this easy pasta salad recipe. For the full recipe with all of the ingredients, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- 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.
- Cut the vegetables. While the pasta is cooking, chop up the veggies. Multitasking is what makes this recipe move so quickly.
- 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.
- Combine all of the ingredients.
Key Ingredients for Orzo Salad
The ingredients for this orzo pasta salad are really similar to my Mediterranean Salad. I love them both!
- Orzo: Read below to learn more about this fantastic pasta.
- Garbanzo Beans: I love the extra texture and protein that they bring to this salad. Make sure that they are washed and drained well before adding them.
- Seedless Cucumber: These are typically sold wrapped in plastic and are often labeled “English Cucumber.” Generally speaking they bring a little less water to a salad, so they are my preference, but any cucumber will work.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Using cherry tomatoes makes it really easy to keep all the ingredients a uniform size.
- Red Bell Pepper: This brings extra veggies to the party as well as a little sweetness and a great crunch.
- Kalamata Olives: These are one of my favorite parts of the salad. If you absolutely cannot do olives, you may need to tweak the recipe at the end because you will be missing some salt.
- Feta Cheese: This adds the perfect flavor to the recipe. You can use low fat feta. If you plan on leaving it out, like with the olives, you will want to tweak the recipe at the end, likely adding more salt.
- Fresh Parsley: This adds so much brightness and a great pop of flavor to the recipe. Read below for more information on storing parsley.
- Olive Oil: If you have it, I recommend using extra virgin olive oil for this recipe. The lightness and flavor is perfect for a salad dressing.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Red Wine is made from red wine, and is a great source of flavor in Mediterranean cooking. This recipe hasn’t been tested with other vinegars, but if I were to try a different one, I would grab my Balsamic Vinegar first.
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. Its is not gluten free, but some brands do make gluten free orzo. It is not rice and can be found in the pasta aisle of the grocery store. In addition to it being perfect for pasta salads like this one, it is great in soup, like this Lemon Orzo Soup.
Making Ahead and Storing Leftovers
In general, pasta salads are not my favorite to make ahead of time. The dressing can get too absorbed by the pasta and it’s not always as great the second day. That being said, this salad is almost better the next day. The dressing is so light, and the pasta so small, that it doesn’t over absorb.
Leftovers of this great pasta salad can be stored for up to four days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. As always, use your best discretion when it comes to serving leftovers.
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.
Easy Orzo Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry orzo cooked and drained (see note 1)
- 1 seedless cucumber diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives sliced
- 15 ounces garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped (see note 2)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Add the orzo and cook for the length of time indicated on the package. Drain the cooked pasta and rinse with cold water.1 cup dry orzo
- While the pasta is cooking, chop the vegetables.1 seedless cucumber, 1 pint cherry tomatoes, 1 red pepper, 1/2 cup kalamata olives
- In a large bowl combine the cooked pasta with the vegetables, beans, olives, parsley, and feta.15 ounces garbanzo beans, 4 ounces feta cheese, 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 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.1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Recipe Video
Notes
- Read all my tips here: How to Cook Pasta.
- If you are buying ingredients in advance, read how to store parsley.
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!
I totally agree Averie!
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl says
This is my favorite type of food!!
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles says
Totally my kind of salad – and so perfect with those turkey burgers!
Sommer @ A Spicy Perspective says
This is a perfect quick summer meal!
Terry says
Delish!
Halina says
It would be great, if there were simple recipes for easy dinners or breakfest, for a single woman…
Tricky for sure! All of my recipes can be scaled back, we have a tool in the recipe card under servings to slide and then it will change all the ingredients listed. Additionally, we always try to provide instructions for freezing if possible. For this recipe, I would cut it in half and then enjoy it for lunches. It is great as leftovers!
Judy says
I just finished making your delicious salad and I think I will be making again. I added a bit more of the ingredients than you did and doubled, almost, the dressing. This salad has lots of color which makes very appetizing to look at besides being very good. Thanks a lot!
Bakken says
I make this often! Delicious!
I’m so glad you like it!
Amy says
This is our go-to summer salad with such fresh flavors. The whole family loves it as a side! Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that!