This orzo salad recipe is perfect for summer picnics and cookouts! Feta cheese, olives, and a zingy Greek dressing fill it with bold flavor.
If you need a last-minute side dish for a cookout or picnic this weekend, make this orzo salad recipe! It’s fresh and flavorful, easy to put together, and, like any good picnic salad, perfect for making ahead. Toss it together a few hours to a day before a summer gathering, and it’ll still taste great when you’re ready to eat.
But even if you’re not planning a cookout this weekend (or if your menu’s all set to go), stash this orzo salad recipe in your back pocket anyway. Because it keeps so well, it’s a great recipe to pack for lunch. Crispy cucumbers and juicy tomatoes play off briny olives and salty, tangy feta cheese. The orzo pasta and chickpeas make it nice and filling, and a zingy Greek dressing ties it all together. De-licious.
Orzo Salad Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this orzo pasta salad recipe:
- Orzo, of course! I love the way this tiny pasta shape mixes and mingles with the other ingredients.
- Cherry tomatoes – For sweet, juicy pops of flavor.
- Persian cucumbers – They add a cool, refreshing crunch.
- Red onion – Slice these guys as thinly as you can. I recommend using a mandoline if you have one!
- Kalamata olives – Their salty, briny flavor contrasts with the fresh herbs, cucumbers, and tomatoes.
- Feta cheese – Skip the pre-crumbled feta for this recipe. Instead, look for feta that comes in a block, preferably in brine. Its flavor and texture are SO much better. You’ll never get the crumbled kind again!
- Chickpeas – I love garbanzo beans with Mediterranean ingredients like feta and olives, so I couldn’t resist tossing them into this orzo salad. They make it more substantial too.
- Greek salad dressing – In this orzo salad, I make the dressing extra-bright by whisking in an additional tablespoon of red wine vinegar and a big squeeze of lemon juice.
- Fresh mint and/or basil – Pick just one, or use a mix.
- And sea salt and fresh black pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Cook the orzo, and dice up the veggies, feta, and olives while it cools.
Then, whisk up the dressing and toss it all together. Making this orzo salad recipe is as simple as that!
Orzo Salad Recipe Tips
- Cook the pasta a little past al dente. Whenever I make a pasta salad, I cook the pasta just past al dente, so that it stays tender after it cools.
- And let it cool before you add the veggies. If you toss the hot orzo with the tomatoes, cucumber, and onion, they’ll begin to wilt. Instead, drain the cooked orzo, dress it with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking, and spread it in an even layer on a large baking sheet to cool. When it reaches room temperature, proceed with the recipe.
- Make it ahead. You can make this orzo salad recipe up to a day in advance, but save the herbs to add at the last minute. If they sit in the dressing for too long, they’ll wilt, so it’s best to toss them in right before you eat. The salad may also dry out a bit in the fridge. If you think it needs more moisture, loosen it with a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
Orzo Salad Serving Suggestions
This orzo salad recipe is a perfect side dish for summer picnics and cookouts. Pair it with other cookout sides like grilled corn on the cob or grilled veggies, broccoli salad, potato salad, and/or coleslaw. If you need a main dish, try making one of these recipes:
- Best Veggie Burger
- Easy Black Bean Burger
- BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches
- Portobello Mushroom Burger
- Chickpea Salad Sandwich
If you have any leftovers, save them for lunch the next day. Thanks to the orzo, chickpeas, feta, and olives, the salad makes a light, yet satisfying, meal on its own.
More Favorite Pasta Salad Recipes
If you love this orzo salad recipe, try one of these fresh pasta salads next:
- Easy Pasta Salad
- Cherry Tomato Couscous Salad
- Vegan Pasta Salad
- Broccoli Pasta Salad
- Easy Macaroni Salad
- Or any of these 51 Best Salad Recipes!
Orzo Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ cups dry orzo pasta
- 1 recipe Greek Salad Dressing
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 Persian cucumbers, halved vertically, and sliced ¼-inch thick
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained, and rinsed
- 4 ounces feta cheese, cut into ¼-inch cubes
- â…“ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
- 1 cup fresh basil and/or mint leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the package directions, or until slightly past al dente. Drain the orzo and toss it with a little olive oil, so that it doesn’t stick together. Spread onto a baking sheet to cool.
- Prepare the Greek Salad Dressing and add in the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, and sea salt.
- In a large bowl, toss together the cooked orzo, cucumbers, tomatoes, chickpeas, feta, red onion, and olives. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, add half the herbs, season with freshly ground black pepper, and toss to coat. Garnish with the remaining herbs and serve.
Wow, absolutely delicious!! This recipe is a keeper. So simple, and full of great flavor, and healthy, all in one.
hi! Do you have the nutrition facts of this recipe?
Hi Kaylie, I’m sorry, we don’t post nutrition facts but you can plug the ingredients into a site like my fitness pal.
This recipe was outstanding! So fresh, juicy, and delicious!
I’m so glad you loved it!
so amazing. took a long time to prep and I even had my husband to help. but it was worth it. though it took a long time, the process was very easy, and it has so much flavor and nutrition, we are extremely pleased with our lunch that has room for leftovers. which definitely helps to make up for the time commitment in making it. also it takes a long time to finish chewing a single bite, because there’s so much to it, loving it!! thanks so much!!
I made this for a brunch and for a dinner. It was a huge success. This will be a go to salad going forward. Very light and tasty.
I’m so glad you loved it!
It would be so helpful if you included nutritional information with your recipes.
I’m sorry, I don’t calculate nutritional info, but you can plug the ingredients into a site like my fitness pal.
Is the 1 1/2 cups orzo cooked or pre-cooked?
Hi Kate, it’s pre cooked
I had the same question. Maybe you would consider adding that to the recipe? 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta (pre-cooked). I’ll add to my own notes so I can just start the recipe without checking again. It’s a delicious salad – thanks for another winner!!
thanks! I just fixed that in the ingredients.
There’s no mango in the recipe even though the picture has them! 🙂
Hi Trish, this is the recipe that has the mango in it: https://www.loveandlemons.com/rainbow-orzo-salad/
I chose to go with mint instead of basil for this dish, and it was such a nice twist to the usual greek salads I go for. I will a 100% be making this for future lunches!!
This orzo salad is amazing!! I made it gluten free by using GF orzo. We had this as a side for grilled chicken, but honestly I could eat it as a meal on its own! This recipe makes a large quantity, so it’s great for either a cookout or meal prep. This is definitely added to the rotation!
This orzo salad is packed full of textures and flavors! I loved how the feta and olives added a nice saltiness and bite. I also sauteed the chickpeas with olive oil and cumin seeds, which added a lovely earthiness and intensity. I’ve made this twice in the past couple weeks – for a bbq with friends and a family reunion – and it was a hit both times!
Loved this Orzo salad; was a big hit at our BBQ. The Greek Dressing is so flavorful and fresh!
Wonderful! Loved the olives in this dish.
So delicious and fresh!!
My family really enjoyed this recipe. We replaced the orzo pasta with farro, since my husband has to watch his blood sugar. It worked great!
Yummy and full of flavor! Really liked the combination of the lemon juice and red wine vinegar.
Made a big batch for out on the boat- everyone chowed down on it! Refreshing and filling and all the good flavors
Such a good salad for the summer! I loved the contrast of the olives and feta to the cucumber. I added some snap peas I had and it added more crunch.
The orzo salad was easy to prepare, delicious and really pretty. It makes plenty for the whole family.
Another great recipe! I loved the addition of the chickpeas and the fresh feta made a difference. My bf doesn’t really care for cucumbers or tomatoes, but he loved this and asked that I make it again. I made the Greek dressing the day before, so it was easy to through together the next day.