Greek Orzo Salad

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This Greek Orzo Salad Recipe bursts with taste due to feta cheese, purple onion, tomatoes, cucumber, and kalamata olives. We use chickpeas for our protein, be happy to make use of grilled rooster or shrimp as a substitute! Topped with a zesty Greek salad dressing, that is the right summer time pasta salad recipe. Simply mix the elements in a big bowl, add the dressing, and toss!

You’ll Love this Mediterranean Orzo Salad Recipe…

Say hiya to the final word summer time recipe: greek orzo salad! This pasta salad recipe is ideal for events, picnics, and potlucks. As a result of it’s straightforward to make forward of time and good for feeding a hungry crowd! It’s additionally very forgiving and adaptable.

Be at liberty to swap the pasta, modify the veggies, or add a protein like rooster or shrimp! I’ve 1,000,000 pasta salad recipes in my recipe field… however this Greek Orzo Pasta Salad is certainly one of my all-time favorites. It comes collectively in 20 minutes and it’ll maintain it within the fridge for as much as 5 days!

Greek Orzo Pasta Salad: Components

Orzo: Though it appears to be like like rice, orzo is definitely a small number of pasta that works nice in soups and salads. Be at liberty to make use of common or wheat orzo! And for those who can’t discover orzo, use one other small pasta like macaroni or orecchiette. Simply you should definitely prepare dinner it al dente!
Tomatoes: In terms of tomatoes, use no matter selection appears to be like greatest! Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and even chopped heirloom or vine tomatoes will work nice.
Cucumber: I really like utilizing english cucumber on this recipe, however virtually any cucumber selection will work. Be at liberty to peel the cucumber or depart the peel on for those who choose.
Feta Cheese: Use the most effective number of feta cheese you will get your arms on! For the most effective taste, I recommend shopping for a big block of feta cheese and crumbling it your self.
Purple Onion: In case you’re not a fan of purple onion, be happy to omit the onion or scale back the quantity.
Kalamata Olives: You’ll use the olives within the dressing in addition to the salad. You should buy recent or jarred olives. I recommend shopping for water packed olives vs oil packed olives, however each will work in a pinch.
Purple Bell Pepper: Contemporary purple pepper provides a scrumptious crunch, jarred roasted purple peppers make a nice alternative.
Inexperienced Pepper: Not a inexperienced pepper fan? Be at liberty to omit this ingredient, no want so as to add something as an alternative.
Chickpeas: I used canned chickpeas, however you possibly can definitely soak your personal. Be sure you rinse and pat your chickpeas dry earlier than including them to the salad.

Greek Salad Dressing: Greater than Simply Olive Oil and Lemon Juice

Olive Oil: The bottom of our purple wine French dressing! Use a top quality oil you benefit from the style of. Be at liberty to lean into the Greek and use a Greek olive oil!
Garlic: I choose recent garlic and 100% recommend utilizing it for the salad dressing. However in a pinch, use 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
Oregano: I choose utilizing recent oregano, however you need to use dried oregano for those who can’t discover recent. Use half the quantity known as for.
Lemon Juice: Contemporary lemon juice – and zest- provides acidity and brightness to the salad dressing.
Purple Wine Vinegar: For a extra intense vinegar taste, add an additional tablespoon to the salad dressing recipe.
Dijon Mustard: Any selection will work, however we love Gray Poupon.
Seasoning: Sugar, salt, and pepper helps improve all flavors within the dressing and salad. I recommend beginning with a small quantity, tasing, then including extra salt and pepper if desired.

This salad is extraordinarily versatile, so be happy to make use of it as a place to begin. Then shake it up and make it your personal. That is a type of pasta salad recipes that’s arduous to “mess up”.

Be at liberty to attempt including recent herbs like parsley, utilizing white beans as a substitute of chickpeas, or including grilled rooster, shrimp, or salmon!

The way to Prepare dinner Orzo for Salad

Convey a Giant Pot of water to a Boil: Don’t prepare dinner the orzo in line with the bundle directions.
Prepare dinner the Orzo: For six to 7 minutes, or till al dente. You wish to pull the pasta earlier than it’s comfortable right through.
Drain: You’ll wish to drain the pasta proper after you prepare dinner the orzo, after which rinse it below chilly water. Rinsing the orzo with chilly water will cease it from cooking any extra and funky it off shortly.
Use as Directed: Place the orzo in a big bowl and use as directed within the recipe!

Ingredients for Greek Orzo Salad in bowl.

The way to Make Orzo Salad

Prepare dinner the Pasta: Convey a big pot of water a boil then prepare dinner the pasta till al dente. Place in a big bowl and put aside till wanted.
Prep the Veggies: I recommend reducing every part into bite-sized items so it’s straightforward to eat.
Make the Salad Dressing: Be sure you style earlier than dressing your salad. Season with salt and pepper as wanted. If it tastes flat, be happy so as to add further recent lemon juice or vinegar.
Toss the Salad: To the massive bowl, add the salad dressing, chickpeas, chopped greens, feta cheese, and toss. You’ll be able to sprinkle a bit further feta cheese on prime to make it look fairly.
Serve your Salad: Serve instantly, or cowl the bowl and place it within the fridge. It’ll maintain for as much as 5 days… not that it ever lasts that lengthy in my home!

Leap to the recipe for the total listing of elements and directions!

Instruments Wanted for this Orzo Salad Recipe:

Giant Mixing Bowl: Toss and serve your salad in model with this massive bowl.
Salad Servers: You’ll want salad servers, so that you would possibly as effectively put money into some sturdy and fairly ones proper?
Reducing Board: That is my favourite reducing board as a result of it’s straightforward to retailer and dishwasher pleasant.
Sharp Chef’s Knife: A pointy knife is. should for chopping up all these veggies, and this one is a real workhorse.
Liquid Measuring Cup: I really like utilizing a big liquid measuring cup to make the salad dressing (and all vinaigrettes).
Kalamata Olives: These are really my favourite olives, so recent and flavorful! They style wonderful on this recipe.