Go Back
–+ servings
Greek orzo pasta salad in a white bowl with wooden salad servers and feta, lemon dressing and parsley on the side.
Print

Greek Orzo Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

This Greek Orzo Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette is filled with tender orzo, crisp veggies, fresh parsley, tangy feta and briny olives, all tossed with a 6-ingredient lemon dressing.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Greek
Keyword dressing, Greek, lemon vinaigrette, Mediterranean, orzo, pasta, salad
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 224kcal
Author Leanne

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 1 cup dry orzo pasta
  • 1 1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1/2 English cucumber chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1 small red bell pepper chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 small red onion diced (about 1/2 cup)
  • 3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

For the lemon vinaigrette:

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large lemon juiced (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Cook the orzo according to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside to fully cool.
  • Add the vinaigrette ingredients to a jar with a lid. Seal and shake until combined.
  • In a large bowl, add the orzo and remaining salad ingredients. Pour the vinaigrette over the top and toss to combine.
  • Chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

Notes

  1. Rinse the orzo with cold water after cooking it. This will cool it down fast and help prevent it from clumping. If it’s clumpy, just stir in a little olive oil to help break it apart. 
  2. Some lemons are juicier than others. You may need more than one lemon to get 1/4 cup of lemon juice for the vinaigrette.
  3. The vinaigrette is tangy. If it's too tangy for you, just add a little more honey. 
  4. Taste the salad before adding any salt. While the vinaigrette doesn't have a lot of salt in it, the olives and feta are salty.
  5. For the best flavor, chill the salad in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 390mg | Potassium: 214mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 1mg