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    Home » All Recipes » Summer Recipes

    Simple Greek Orzo Salad

    Published: Aug 28, 2022 by Allison · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

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    This Simple Greek Orzo Salad is incredible! Made with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, peppers, basil, and a punchy lemon herb vinaigrette, it’s fantastic as a side dish with dinner. Or, enjoy it as a main course with the addition of grilled chicken or salmon or hard boiled eggs!

    overhead shot of the salad in a big wooden bowl

    Can you believe that we are officially in the last few weeks of summer? Fall is my absolute favourite season, but I am going to miss local summer produce. That’s why I’m doing everything in my power to celebrate it through my recipes before the season ends!

    close up overhead shot of a serving of Greek orzo salad

    This simple Greek orzo salad is absolutely delicious. It is quite literally bursting with flavour. The secret to a super flavourful salad is the addition of not only olives, but sun-dried tomatoes, along with a super punchy dressing. You know that I am all about my punchy dressings. I’m a big fan of the acidic bite of lemon juice and vinegar. But if you are not a big fan of those flavours, feel free to go a bit lighter on the lemon juice and red wine vinegar. As always, you can adjust recipes to suit your unique tastes!

    process shot of all the ingredients in dishes on a light pink backdrop
    overhead process shot showing all the salad ingredients in a wooden bowl

    why you’ll love this simple orzo salad

    It’s:

    • Easy to prepare
    • Delicious and flavourful
    • Chock full of healthy ingredients, including cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta, peppers, olives, and basil
    • Filling and satisfying

    ingredients you’ll need for this recipe

    • Orzo
    • Cherry tomatoes
    • Cucumber
    • Red onion
    • Feta
    • Kalamata olives
    • Sun-dried tomatoes
    • Red pepper
    • Basil
    • Extra-virgin olive oil
    • Lemon juice
    • Red wine vinegar
    • Sea salt and pepper
    • Dried oregano
    • Hot red pepper flakes
    • Dijon mustard
    • Honey
    • Garlic

    how to make this recipe

    Cook the orzo according to the directions on the package. Drain and set aside to cool for a few minutes.

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    While the orzo cools, make the dressing: Place the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously to combine.

    Once cooled, place the orzo in a large salad bowl. You might have to gently break it apart with your hands if it has cooled for too long. Add the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper, and basil to the bowl. At this point, you can add a few handfuls of arugula, spinach, or chopped kale, if desired. Add about three quarters of the dressing and toss to coat.

    If you like more dressing on your salad, feel free to add the remaining dressing (I did), or drizzle it over individual servings as desired.

    an overhead shot of a serving of orzo salad with the big bowl of salad to the upper left

    what to serve with Greek orzo salad

    I served this salad with barbecue chicken. You can also serve it alongside Greek meatballs (I’ll share a recipe eventually), baked tofu, salmon, or hard boiled eggs.

    This salad also packs beautifully, making it a great option for meal prep!

    more delicious + healthy salad recipes

    • Chipotle Tofu, Peach, and Corn Salad with Feta and Cilantro Lime Dressing
    • Greek Quinoa Salad Stuffed Avocados
    • Egg, Fried Halloumi and Berry Baby Kale Salad with Lemon Caper Basil Pesto Dressing
    • Beet, Green Pea, and Arugula Salad with Hemp Goddess Dressing

    I hope that you love this simple Greek orzo salad! If you make it, let me know how you enjoyed it by leaving a comment and rating below the post.

    If you like this recipe and would like to see more of my recipes, subscribe to my email list! And you can also follow Up Beet Kitchen on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

    Enjoy!

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    featured image for the post, 1200x1200 px, an overhead photo of the salad in a pink bowl

    Simple Greek Orzo Salad


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 3 reviews

    • Author: Allison
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 6 servings 1x
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    Description

    This Simple Greek Orzo Salad is incredible! Made with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, peppers, basil, and a punchy lemon herb vinaigrette


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 ¼ cups uncooked orzo
    • 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
    • 2 Persian cucumbers, diced
    • ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
    • ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
    • ⅓ cup kalamata olives, sliced
    • ⅓ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
    • 1 red pepper, diced
    • ½ cup basil, chopped
    • ½ cup parsley, chopped (or more basil)
    • Optional: A few handfuls of arugula, spinach, or chopped kale

    Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

    • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil 
    • Juice of 1 lemon (about ¼ cup)
    • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
    • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
    • 1 teaspoon honey
    • 1 garlic clove, minced

    Instructions

    1. Cook the orzo according to the directions on the package. Drain and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
    2. While the orzo cools, make the dressing: Place the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously to combine.
    3. Once cooled, place the orzo in a large salad bowl. You might have to gently break it apart with your hands if it has cooled for too long. Add the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper, and basil to the bowl. At this point, you can add a few handfuls of arugula, spinach, or chopped kale, if desired. Add about three quarters of the dressing and toss to coat.
    4. If you like more dressing on your salad, feel free to add the remaining dressing (I did), or drizzle it over individual servings as desired.

    Notes

    If you like a less punchy dressing, reduce the lemon juice and/or red wine vinegar to your taste. 

    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Cook Time: 10 minutes
    • Category: Side Dish, Main Course, Lunch
    • Cuisine: Greek

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 288
    • Sugar: 5.8 g
    • Sodium: 449.6 mg
    • Fat: 18 g
    • Saturated Fat: 4.8 g
    • Carbohydrates: 26.9 g
    • Fiber: 2.5 g
    • Protein: 6.8 g

    Did you make this recipe?

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    Comments

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      Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    1. Roxanne says

      March 05, 2023 at 1:48 pm

      This is by far the best Orzo salad I have made. My family devoured it!

      Reply
    2. Amelie says

      September 02, 2022 at 1:32 pm

      Such a wonderful salad creation!

      Reply
    3. Elaine says

      August 30, 2022 at 8:45 am

      This is a really good salad. Perfect for summer too!

      Reply
      • Allison says

        August 30, 2022 at 4:49 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    About image for Up Beet Kitchen

    Hi, I'm Allison! Welcome to Up Beet Kitchen, a food blog with wholesome, nutrient-dense recipes designed to unearth vibrant health and wellness.

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