Description
Greek orzo pasta salad brings Mediterranean flavors to your summer table. Fresh ingredients and zesty dressing create a refreshing dish you’ll crave at picnics and potlucks.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Produce and Herbs:
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Olive and Briny Components:
- 1/3 cup kalamata olives, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare orzo in boiling water until al dente, typically 8-10 minutes at medium-high heat. Immediately cool pasta under cold running water to halt cooking process and prevent clumping.
- Dice fresh tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion into uniform bite-sized pieces to ensure balanced flavor distribution throughout the salad.
- Slice kalamata olives and crumble feta cheese into small, consistent fragments that will integrate seamlessly with vegetable mixture.
- Create zesty vinaigrette by vigorously whisking extra virgin olive oil with red wine vinegar, minced fresh garlic, dried oregano, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper until emulsified and well-combined.
- Gently fold dressing into pasta and vegetable mixture, ensuring each ingredient is thoroughly coated and flavors are evenly distributed.
- Refrigerate salad for minimum 30 minutes to allow ingredients to marinate and develop complex Mediterranean-inspired flavor profile.
- Just before serving, garnish with chopped fresh parsley for bright color and additional herbal notes, then toss lightly to refresh presentation.
Notes
- Rinse orzo thoroughly to stop cooking and prevent sticking, ensuring a perfect al dente texture.
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients like ripe tomatoes and crisp cucumber for maximum flavor and crunch.
- Customize the salad by adding protein like grilled chicken or chickpeas for a more substantial meal.
- Let the salad marinate in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours to enhance the Mediterranean flavors and allow ingredients to meld together.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 280 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg