This Greek Orzo Salad recipe is a light-weight and flavorful pasta salad that’s scrumptious as a side dish or main dish. It’d be excellent with something you’re grilling this summer season!
Greek Orzo Salad
This simple Greek Orzo Salad is just like my Greek Pasta Salad however with orzo and smaller diced veggies. I really like orzo for pasta salads–its form is nice with diced veggies like cucumbers, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Greek flavors like feta cheese and kalamata olives add the right zest. And for extra wholesome pasta salad recipes, don’t miss my Grilled Vegetable Orzo Pasta Salad or Italian Pasta Salad.
Why I Love This Orzo Pasta Salad
I entertain loads within the summer, and pasta salads are a should after we grill. Whether or not celebrating Memorial Day or the Fourth of July or simply having associates over, you’ll be able to by no means go improper with Greek orzo pasta salad as a result of everybody loves it. It makes sufficient for a celebration, it’s simple to make, and leftovers are nice for lunch. I really like utilizing orzo in pasta salads, the form is ideal for salads which have small veggies and goes nice with something you’re grilling.
- Vegetarian: This filling side dish is appropriate for each meat-eaters and vegetarians. To make it vegan, omit the feta.
- Price range-Pleasant: This orzo pasta salad doesn’t have meat, making it inexpensive for serving a big crowd.
- Loaded with Veggies: This wholesome orzo salad makes use of 4 colourful greens, which include many nutritional vitamins and minerals.
What’s Greek Orzo Salad?
Greek orzo salad is a refreshing pasta salad made with orzo, a rice-shaped pasta made out of durum wheat. It’s fashionable for its brilliant, zesty flavors which may be served as a facet dish or predominant.
Components
Right here’s the whole lot you have to to make this Orzo Salad. See actual measurements within the recipe card beneath.
- Greek Orzo Salad Dressing: This French dressing consists of crimson wine vinegar, lemon juice, and olive oil, which is seasoned with garlic powder, oregano, and salt.
- Orzo Pasta: The bottom of this salad. Use wheat, or gluten-free orzo. If you happen to can’t discover orzo, ditalini or acini di pepe can be nice.
- Olives: Kalamata olives add a briny taste. I additionally add some brine to the pasta for a salty, savory taste.
- Greens: Cube crimson onion, English cucumber, grape or cherry tomatoes, and orange bell pepper into small items. This vegetable combo provides a rainbow of colour. Be at liberty to make use of yellow or crimson bell pepper as an alternative.
- Feta Cheese completes this orzo salad with its gentle texture and salty style.
- Contemporary Oregano is an elective garnish, however it provides a burst of freshness. You may as well use contemporary dill or parsley as an alternative.
The best way to Make Greek Orzo Salad
This simple orzo salad comes collectively fast as soon as all of the elements are prepped. Right here’s the step-by-step images (see full recipe in recipe card beneath).
- Prepare dinner the Orzo: For the reason that flavors can get muted in chilly pasta salad and the noodles can harden as they cool, I prefer to prepare dinner the orzo till gentle, reasonably than al dente.
- Drain and rinse the orzo beneath chilly water to chill it.
- Orzo Salad Dressing: Whisk the 6 French dressing elements in a big bowl.
- Remaining Components: Put the olives, crimson onion, and brine within the bowl, after which stir within the pasta and different greens.
- The best way to Serve: Combine within the feta proper earlier than serving and garnish with contemporary oregano.
Variations
- Protein: Add shrimp or hen for further protein, or to maintain this Greek orzo salad vegetarian, stir in a can of chickpeas.
- Olives: Swap kalamatas with Castelvetrano olives.
- Cucumber: If you happen to use a daily cucumber, peel the pores and skin and scoop out the seeds earlier than dicing it.
- Further Veggies: Cube child spinach.
- Vinegar: Substitute white wine vinegar.
- Pasta Salad Dressing: Add a teaspoon or two of Dijon mustard for some tang.
- Can’t eat cheese? Omit the feta.
- Herbs: Swap oregano with basil, parsley, or dill.
What to Serve with Orzo Pasta Salad
Storage
- Meal Prep: Pasta salad is finest chilled for at the least an hour earlier than consuming, making it glorious for meal prep and serving at events. The flavors meld, and the pasta absorbs the dressing.
- Too Dry? If it appears dry after refrigerating, toss it with somewhat extra dressing earlier than serving.
- Storage: This Mediterranean orzo salad will last as long as 4 days within the fridge.
Extra Pasta Salad Recipes You’ll Love
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Carry a big pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the orzo and prepare dinner in line with package deal instructions for al dente, including an additional minute.
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Drain and rinse beneath chilly water, drain.
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In the meantime, In a big bowl, mix the dressing elements. Add the olives, crimson onion and brine from the olives and blend to mix.
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Stir within the pasta with the cucumber, tomatoes and bell pepper and toss nicely. Style for salt and modify as wanted.
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Add the cheese simply earlier than able to serve.
Final Step:
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Serving: 3 /4 cup, Energy: 173 kcal, Carbohydrates: 24 g, Protein: 5 g, Fats: 6 g, Saturated Fats: 1 g, Ldl cholesterol: 4 mg, Sodium: 112 mg, Fiber: 1.5 g, Sugar: 2 g
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