Greek Orzo Pasta Salad is a fresh mix of tender orzo, juicy tomatoes, olives, sweet corn, herbs, and feta tossed in a simple lemon dressing. My sister’s absolute favorite salad!
author’s note
Livi’s All-Time Favorite Salad
When my sister was pregnant with her first, there was very little she could eat. Even after the nausea eased, most foods still didn’t sound good. So when I brought this salad to a family get-together, I expected her to pass on it.
That definitely did not happen. I’m pretty sure no one else even got a chance to try it.
From then on, my family knew this was the salad to bring anytime Livi was coming. She lived on it through the rest of her pregnancy, and years later, it’s still her favorite. I still get a picture every couple of months of a fresh batch in her fridge.
If that doesn’t convince you this Greek Orzo Pasta Salad deserves a spot on your roster, I don’t know what will, haha! It’s light, refreshing, and perfect for meal prep. I hope you love it!
Greek Orzo Pasta Salad Ingredients
| Ingredient | Let’s Chat About It |
|---|---|
| Orzo Pasta | Cook in well-salted water so the pasta has flavor. Rinse under cold water after draining to stop the cooking and keep it from sticking together. |
| Cherry & grape tomatoes | Use ripe, sweet tomatoes for the best flavor. I love using two colors, but one works great too. |
| Kalamata olives & feta cheese | These add the classic salty Mediterranean flavor. Buy block feta and crumble it yourself for the best possible flavor. |
| Fresh corn, red onion & parsley | Fresh corn adds sweetness and a really nice crunch. Use it raw or grill it for a smokier flavor. If the red onion is strong, soak it in ice cold water for 10 minutes. |
| Lemon, olive oil, garlic & Dijon | This simple dressing makes the salad bright and fresh. Fresh lemon zest adds a lot of flavor, so don’t skip it. |
How To Make Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
- 1. Make dressing: Shake dressing ingredients in a jar; refrigerate.
- 2. Cook orzo: Boil in salted water, then drain, rinse, and cool.
- 3. Prep salad: Chop the veggies and add to a large bowl with feta.
- 4. Add corn: Grill if desired, then cut kernels from the cob.
- 5. Toss & chill: Add orzo and dressing, toss well, chill, then serve!
Featured Comment
“Served this for dinner and it has instantly become a family favorite recipe in our home! Delicious!”
– Sara
Storage
Greek orzo pasta salad keeps for 3-5 days in the fridge. Store the dressing separately and add it to individual portions when serving for the best texture. The olives and red onion get stronger as it sits, so I like to store those separately if I’m meal prepping.
More Delicious Salad Recipes:
Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups orzo pasta 12 ounces
- 1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes 1 pint
- 1-1/2 cups yellow grape tomatoes or more cherry tomatoes, 1 pint
- 3/4 cup Kalamata olives halved
- 1-1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and more for topping if desired
- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion see note 1
- 2 ears fresh sweet corn
- 1 large lemon zest and juice
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Zest and juice the lemon to get about 2 tsp zest and 3 tbsp juice. Add both to a large mason jar. Add the olive oil, garlic, mustard, and sugar. Season to taste (I add 1/2 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp pepper). Seal and shake well to combine. Refrigerate while preparing the salad so the flavors can meld.
- Bring 12 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon salt and the orzo. Cook according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water for about 20 seconds, shake off excess water, and allow the pasta to cool completely.
- Halve the tomatoes and olives. Finely dice the red onion (see note 1). Chop the parsley. Add the tomatoes, olives, onion, parsley, and feta to a large bowl.
- Grill the corn if desired (see note 2). Cut the kernels from the cob and add to the bowl. The corn can also be added raw for extra crunch (this is how I like it).
- Add the cooled orzo to the bowl. Pour the dressing over everything and toss well to combine. Taste and adjust with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. Toss again just before serving.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious 🙂 thanks for the recipe! I love your blog and I have followed you with Bloglovin. If you ever get a chance to check out my blog I would be delighted, thanks!
Camille xo
I’ve only tried orzo for the first time the other week, ironically in a soup- This is a much more weather appropriate version!
In Canada, We’ve been suffering under extreme cold weather this year and for this reason I’ve been missing Brazil (the country I am originally from) more than usually. Hopefully spring is coming soon and then I can make this delicious dish 😉
Yeah, it’s cold. So very cold. I’m ready for spring. This recipe looks delightful–so fresh and vibrant. Pinned.
Oh gosh, it’s been like 10 degrees here today – so cold!! You’re making me crave warmer weather! I love orzo – this looks delicious!
Chelsea, I am the same way. I still check the weather every day back home in Ohio (before flipping to Florida to see whether I will be wearing shorts or jeans today!). Where were you in OH? The no sun comment makes me think it had to be in the northern part- I felt like i didn’t seen sun for like half the year! I miss the cold a little bit- purely because I grew up with it and its a little odd to be somewhere sunny and relatively warm everyday. This looks like a great side dish- and I have a ton of basil outside too!
Well as you know I’m also experiencing warm weather but I’ll be headed to the States soon so I’m trying to prepare myself for the cold! This dish – loving the flavours. I’m a basil addict (cue dinner last night consisting of a lot of basil) and I would love this!
Ahh I don’t think I knew you were from Ohio..me too. Canton to be exact. This salad looks fab and Australia doesn’t sound too bad to me right about now haha
This is a great dish! I’m sure I’ll be seeing it in my kitchen soon 😉
We love orzo! Can’t wait to try this basil lime combo.