Orzo Salad with Vegetables and Feta: a weeknight method

Orzo salad in a serving bowl with tomatoes, cucumbers and chickpeas.

This Greek orzo salad is made with cucumbers, chickpeas, tomatoes, red onion, feta and herbs, all tossed in a herb dressing. A unfussy yet hearty pasta salad that can be served as a main course or side dish.

Orzo pasta salad is an unexpected and tasty addition to any meal. The combination of crunchy vegetables, protein packed chickpeas and silky feta cheese just can’t be beat! Serve this salad alongside other summer favorites such as sparkling raspberry limeade, fig salad, and shish kabobs for a memorable meal.

There’s nothing better than the reliable side dish when it comes to a summer get together. I enjoy coming up with various side dishes that are fresh and new like this orzo salad. The tasty mixture of chickpeas and crunchy vegetables pair well with the silky feta cheese to make the signature straightforward summer salad.

Orzo Pasta Salad Ingredients

For this straightforward pasta salad recipe, you will need orzo pasta, cucumber, cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, chickpeas, red onion, feta cheese, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, oregano, salt and black pepper. Check out the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and details.

Orzo: Orzo pasta consists of small pasta shapes that look like rice. It is made with a type of wheat flour called durum flour that is ground to a very fine consistency. It is a mild tasting pasta that you can find in your local grocery store.
Cherry Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are small round tomatoes that have a great flavor when ripe. I chose small tomatoes for this recipe so that they would be bite sized for the salad. For extra flavor you can look for cherry tomatoes on the vine at your local grocery store.
Feta Cheese: I use a cow’s milk feta cheese for this salad. I think the mild flavor goes well with the vegetables and dressing.

A bowl of pasta, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, red onions, herbs and chickpeas.

How Do You Make Orzo Salad?

To make orzo salad, first cook and drain the orzo according to package directions. Place the cooked orzo in a large bowl along with the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, red onion, parsley and feta cheese.

Next make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing mixture over the pasta and veggies and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately, or chill for later use.

A bowl of pasta, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, chickpeas and feta cheese topped with dressing.

Tips For The Reliable Salad

To cool your orzo quickly for this salad, run it under cold water in a colander. The cold water will cool the pasta as well as prevent it from clumping together.
Cook your orzo a little past al dente because you want a softer pasta for this salad. You want the orzo to be tender after it cools.
I recommend purchasing a block of feta cheese and crumbling it yourself. If you crumble your own cheese it will have a better texture and more moisture than some of the pre-crumbled feta cheeses.
You can prepare this salad up to 8 hours before you plan to eat it. You can also make the dressing up to 3 days in advance.
Leftover pasta salad will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For added nutrition, you can serve this orzo salad over a bed of spinach or arugula.

Quick TIp

You can make this salad with other types of small pasta. Some great options include macaroni, ditalini, small shells or even pastina.

Orzo pasta salad with a serving spoon in the bowl.

Recipe FAQs

What is orzo?

Orzo is a type of short pasta that resembles grains of rice, only a tad bit bigger. It can also go by the name “risoni.” You can find orzo in the pasta aisle of almost all major grocery stores.

How do I use orzo?

Orzo is cooked just as most pasta is – boiled. You can use orzo like you would rice or in a variety of pasta dishes.

What is orzo salad made of?

Orzo salad contains orzo salad, as well as a variety of chopped uncooked vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers and greens. It often contains cheese and has a vinaigrette dressing.

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Greek orzo salad with pasta, cucumbers, tomatoes and feta cheese.

Recipe Variations

This recipe is fabulous as-is, but you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.

Protein: Make this a main course meal by adding diced grilled chicken tenders, grilled shrimp, or even grilled salmon flaked into smaller pieces. You can also use white beans instead of chickpeas if you prefer.
Grains: Swap out the pasta for a different grain such as brown rice, quinoa or farro. If you’re watching your carbs, you can even try using cauliflower rice.
Vegetables: Feel free to add other veggies to the mix. Some of my go-to additions include green bell peppers, chopped kale, marinated artichoke hearts and asparagus.
Toppings: Finish your salad with a variety of toppings such as kalamata olives, toasted pine nuts or cooked crumbled bacon. Try adding some other fresh herbs such as fresh mint, dill, fresh basil or chives.
Cheese: No feta cheese on hand? Other great options include goat cheese, small mozzarella balls or shaved parmesan.

This orzo pasta salad is so straightforward to make that I make a batch a few times a month, I love to have it as a lighter lunch. It’s definitely healthier than many other side dishes can be, and it gets the kids to eat their vegetables. It’s definitely one of my go-to dishes for summer family meals or get togethers.

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Add as Google preferred source Authorthe Makdob kitchen Orzo salad in a serving bowl with tomatoes, cucumbers and chickpeas.

This greek orzo salad is made with cucumbers, chickpeas, tomatoes, red onion, feta and herbs, all tossed in a herb dressing. A unfussy yet hearty pasta salad that can be served as a main course or side dish. Time Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes

Course Salad
Cuisine Greek
Serves 6

Ingredients

8 ounces dried orzo pasta cooked in salted water according to package directions, then cooled
1 1/2 cups cucumber diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1 cup chickpeas
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Place the orzo pasta, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, red onion, parsley and feta cheese in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, oregano and salt and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture. Toss to coat, then serve.

Notes

To cool your orzo quickly for this salad, run it under cold water in a colander. The cold water will cool the pasta as well as prevent it from clumping together.
This salad can be prepared up to 8 hours before you plan to serve it.