This Greek orzo salad has saved my butt so many times during hot summer months. When it's too hot to turn on the stove but you still need to feed people actual food, this recipe works every time. I started making it after a terrible potluck where I brought some sad green salad that wilted in the heat while everyone else fought over the pasta salads. Now this is what people bug me to bring, and I've seen grown adults go back for thirds even when there's a whole table full of other food.
Why You'll Love This Greek Orzo Salad
This Greek orzo salad gets better as it sits, which is perfect when you're too busy to cook fresh stuff every day. Most pasta salads turn into mushy garbage after a few hours, but this one actually tastes better the next day when everything has had time to mix together. I make it Sunday night and eat it for lunch all week, and it still tastes good on Friday. The lemon dressing keeps it from getting that gross oily coating that makes you never want to eat pasta salad again.
The best part is you can change it however you want. Got kids who hate certain things? Put stuff on the side and let them pick. Need to feed people who don't eat meat? It's already perfect. Want something more filling? Dump in some leftover chicken or a can of chickpeas. I've brought this to barbecues, beach trips, and work potlucks, and people always ask for the recipe. Plus it looks fancy enough that everyone thinks you're some kind of cooking genius when really you just threw a bunch of stuff in a bowl.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Greek Orzo Salad
- Ingredients For Greek Orzo Salad
- How To Make Greek Orzo Salad Step By Step
- Storing Your Greek Orzo Salad
- Smart Swaps for Greek Orzo Salad
- Equipment For Greek Orzo Salad
- Tasty Twists on Greek Orzo Salad
- My Mother's Secret Worth Sharing
- Top Tip
- What to Serve With Greek Orzo Salad
- FAQ
- Fresh, Easy, and Always a Hit!
- Related
- Pairing
- Greek Orzo Salad
Ingredients For Greek Orzo Salad
The Base:
- Orzo pasta
- Cherry tomatoes
- English cucumber
- Red onion
- Kalamata olives
- Feta cheese
- Fresh dill
- Fresh parsley
The Dressing:
- Fresh lemon juice
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Garlic
- Dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
Optional Add-Ins:
- Grilled chicken
- Chickpeas
- Red bell pepper
- Artichoke hearts
- Pine nuts
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Greek Orzo Salad Step By Step
Prep the Orzo:
- Boil water with lots of salt (like pasta water should taste like the ocean)
- Cook orzo until just done but still firm
- Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking
- Let it cool completely while you prep everything else
Chop Everything:
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half
- Dice the cucumber (leave the skin on for crunch)
- Slice red onion super thin (nobody wants big chunks)
- Crumble the feta into bite-sized pieces
- Chop herbs roughly - don't get fancy with it
Make the Dressing:
- Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, and vinegar together
- Mash garlic with some salt until it's paste-like
- Mix in oregano and pepper
- Taste and adjust - it should be tangy
Put It Together:
- Toss cooled orzo with half the dressing first
- Add vegetables and olives
- Fold in feta cheese gently so it doesn't turn to mush
- Add herbs last and toss everything together
- Let it sit for at least 30 minutes before serving
Storing Your Greek Orzo Salad
After making this Greek Orzo Salad for meal prep and potlucks, here's what actually works for keeping it fresh:
Fridge Storage (3-5 days):
- Store in airtight container
- Keep it cold the whole time
- Stir before serving each time
- Add fresh herbs if it looks tired
Make-Ahead Tips:
- Cook pasta and make dressing day before
- Chop vegetables morning of serving
- Mix everything together 2 hours before eating
- Flavors get better as it sits
Leftover Magic:
- Tastes even better the next day
- Add a splash of lemon juice to refresh
- Throw in extra feta if it needs more flavor
- Perfect for lunch all week
Don't Freeze:
- Pasta gets weird and mushy
- Vegetables turn gross
- Feta gets crumbly and strange
- Just make what you'll eat
Smart Swaps for Greek Orzo Salad
Pasta Options:
- Orzo → Small shells or bow ties
- Regular → Gluten-free pasta
- Standard → Quinoa or cauliflower rice
- Plain → Add chickpeas for protein
Cheese Swaps:
- Feta → Goat cheese crumbles
- Dairy → Vegan feta or skip entirely
- Block feta → Pre-crumbled (though fresh tastes better)
- Regular → Greek yogurt mixed in
Vegetable Changes:
- Cherry tomatoes → Regular tomatoes chopped
- Cucumber → Bell peppers or zucchini
- Red onion → Green onions or shallots
- Fresh herbs → Dried (use ⅓ amount)
Dressing Adjustments:
- Red wine vinegar → White wine vinegar
- Lemon juice → Lime juice
- Olive oil → Avocado oil
- Plain → Add Dijon mustard or honey
Equipment For Greek Orzo Salad
- Large pot for cooking pasta
- Big mixing bowl
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Fine mesh strainer
- Whisk or fork for dressing
Tasty Twists on Greek Orzo Salad
From years of making this salad and trying different combinations, here are the variations that work best:
Greek Chicken Orzo Salad:
- Add grilled or rotisserie chicken
- Extra roasted red peppers
- More lemon juice for balance
- Perfect main dish for dinner
Mediterranean Style:
- Sun-dried tomatoes instead of fresh
- Artichoke hearts and pine nuts
- Fresh basil with the herbs
- Mozzarella balls for creaminess
Summer Garden Version:
- Grilled zucchini and peppers
- Fresh corn kernels
- Add fresh mint to herbs
- Great when vegetables are in season
Protein Power Bowl:
- White beans or chickpeas
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Pepperoni or salami chunks
- Makes it a complete meal
My Mother's Secret Worth Sharing
My mom came up with the best trick for this Greek orzo salad totally by accident. She was making it for a church potluck and halfway through realized she forgot to buy lemons. Instead of driving back to the store, she grabbed the pickle jar from the fridge and dumped some of that juice in instead of the lemon juice and vinegar. I thought she'd completely lost it, but when we tried it, the pickle juice made it taste so much better than the regular version. Now she always puts about two tablespoons of pickle juice in the dressing, and people always bug her about what makes her salad different from everyone else's.
The pickle juice has all those spices and that sour fermented taste that makes the whole thing more interesting. It doesn't make it taste like pickles, but just adds this "what is that?" flavor that's really good. The funny thing is she never tells people her secret when they ask for the recipe. She just goes "family secret" and acts all mysterious. But I'm telling you because it really works, and most people have pickle juice just sitting in their fridge anyway. Just use the good dill pickle juice, not that sweet pickle garbage.
Top Tip
- This Greek orzo salad actually gets better overnight - all the flavors mix together and it tastes way better than when you first make it. When you first throw everything together, it's good but everything tastes separate. You get a bite of pasta, then feta, then tomato. But after sitting in the fridge overnight, everything starts working together instead of fighting each other.
- The lemon dressing soaks into the orzo so it doesn't just taste like plain pasta anymore. The salt from the feta and olives gets into everything, and the tomatoes start leaking their juice to make the whole thing taste better. Even the herbs stop just sitting on top and actually flavor the whole bowl.
- I found this out by accident when I made way too much for a barbecue and had tons left over. The next day Oliver and I were eating it straight from the fridge for lunch, and he goes "Mom, this tastes different but good different." Now I try to make it the day before whenever I can, because that overnight thing really does make it taste like a totally different salad.
What to Serve With Greek Orzo Salad
From years of bringing this Greek Orzo Salad to barbecues and trying to figure out what doesn't clash with it, here's what actually works. For main dishes, it's great with grilled chicken, lamb, BBQ ribs, or any kind of fish. At cookouts, it's perfect next to burgers and hot dogs because the lemon cuts through all that greasy meat. For other sides, throw in some garlic bread, pita, hummus with vegetables, or just a plain green salad. Want to make it a real meal? Dump some grilled chicken right into the salad or serve it with warm pita and tzatziki.
The good news is this Greek orzo salad goes with pretty much everything. I've brought it to fancy dinner parties and backyard cookouts, and it fits right in both places. The lemony, fresh taste balances out heavy or rich foods, and it's light enough that people don't feel gross after eating it. Perfect for potlucks and barbecues because it tastes fine at room temperature, you can make it the day before, and it feeds a bunch of people without spending a ton of money.
FAQ
What is in Greek orzo salad?
The basic stuff is orzo pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and fresh herbs like dill and parsley. The dressing is just lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and oregano. You can throw in chicken or chickpeas if you want to make it more filling.
What dressing to put on orzo salad?
Just make a simple lemon vinaigrette - lemon juice, good olive oil, red wine vinegar, chopped garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Don't use those thick creamy dressings because they make pasta salad taste gross and heavy. The lemon keeps everything tasting fresh instead of like an oil slick.
Is Greek orzo salad healthy?
It's pretty good for you as far as pasta salads go. You get vegetables, good fats from the olive oil, protein from the feta. The pasta gives you energy. Way better than those mayo pasta salads that make you feel sick. Want it healthier? Add more vegetables and less pasta, or dump in some beans.
What are the key ingredients in a Greek salad?
Regular Greek orzo salad is tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese, Kalamata olives, and oregano with olive oil and vinegar. Sometimes green peppers. This version just adds pasta to bulk it up and make it actually fill you up instead of just being a tiny side dish.
Fresh, Easy, and Always a Hit!
Now you've got all the tricks to make the perfect Greek orzo salad - from getting the pasta just right to my mom's crazy pickle juice secret. This salad has bailed me out at so many parties where I needed to bring something that actually tastes good and doesn't cost a bunch of money. The best part is you can make it the day before and it gets better sitting in the fridge, which means you're not running around like crazy trying to get everything ready.
I love how this recipe works for basically anything. Need a side dish for a barbecue? Perfect. Want something light for lunch that won't make you want to take a nap at your desk? This is it. Got to feed a ton of people without spending your whole weekend cooking? Make a double batch and watch it disappear. Oliver even asks for it in his lunchbox now, which is pretty shocking since he used to pick out every single piece of anything green.
Looking for more stuff that won't make you want to order takeout instead? Try our Best Margarita Pizza Recipe that tastes like you got it from some fancy place but doesn't take forever to make. Need something sweet that's not complicated? Our Easy Chocolate Pudding Cake does the job every time and uses stuff you probably already have. Want something healthy that looks like you know what you're doing? Our Healthy Sushi Bake in 30 Minutes or Less is perfect when you want to eat good food without living in the kitchen.
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Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Greek Orzo Salad:
Greek Orzo Salad
Equipment
- 1 Large pot (for cooking orzo)
- 1 Fine-mesh strainer (for draining)
- 1 Large mixing bowl (to assemble salad)
- 1 Whisk or fork (for dressing)
- 1 Sharp knife & cutting board (for chopping)
Ingredients
- 1½ cups orzo pasta - uncooked
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes - halved
- 1 English cucumber - diced
- ½ red onion - thinly sliced
- ½ cup Kalamata olives - pitted and halved
- ¾ cup feta cheese - crumbled
- 2 tablespoon fresh dill - chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley - chopped
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice - about 1 large lemon
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic - minced or mashed with salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt & pepper - to taste
- Optional: 1 cup grilled chicken or chickpeas - for added protein
- Optional: ½ cup artichoke hearts - quartered
- Optional: 2 tablespoon pickle juice - from good dill pickles (Mom's secret twist!)
Instructions
- Cook orzo in salted water, rinse, and cool completely
- Chop vegetables, herbs, and crumble feta
- Whisk together lemon dressing ingredients
- Toss orzo with dressing, veggies, feta, and herbs
- Chill for 30 minutes to let flavors combine
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