Orzo Pasta Salad

An easy summer Orzo Pasta Salad with fresh herbs, cucumbers, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, red onions, and feta cheese tossed with a fresh lemon mustard vinaigrette. This side dish goes perfectly with grilled fish, chicken, pork, or beef. Or enjoy it as a vegetarian main dish.

Course pasta salad/side dish

Cuisine American

Keyword how to cook orzo for pasta salad, how to make orzo pasta salad, orzo cold pasta salad, pasta salad recipe with orzo

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 211kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

Salad Dressing
⅓ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Orzo Pasta Salad
1 ½ cups orzo pasta
½ English cucumber diced
1 cup halved grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
⅔ cup chopped artichoke hearts
⅓ cup thin sliced red onion
1 block feta cubed or crumbled
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil mint, or parsley (or combination)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Cook the orzo slightly al dente according to package directions. Rinse under cold water and drain well.
Add the olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, honey, and Dijon mustard to a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
Once the orzo pasta fully cools, add it to a large bowl with the cucumbers, grape tomatoes, artichoke hearts, red onion, and feta cheese.
Shake the dressing again and drizzle over the pasta salad. Toss the pasta salad to combine. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and gently toss again.

Notes

Orzo is a short-cut pasta shaped like grains of rice. It can be found down the pasta aisle at your local grocery store.
Cook the orzo pasta slightly al dente and drain well. You want it with a little bite to it. The important part is that you do not overcook it.
Let the pasta cool before adding the vegetables, so they do not wilt.
I purchase a block of feta cheese and cut it into cubes, but you could use feta crumbles as well. Blue cheese crumbles are delicious as well.
I use grape tomatoes when we do not have fresh garden tomatoes are not yet available, but if you have them, make sure you use them. Their flavor is unsurpassed.
Fresh herbs are essential for this salad. I use a mixture of basil, mint, and parsley but thyme, and fresh dill work well too. Dried oregano and dried marjoram work well too.
Make it a Greek orzo pasta salad and add Kalamata olives, garbanzo beans, and lemon zest.
This salad can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance, but hold off adding the fresh herbs until a couple of hours before serving. Store the salad covered in the fridge until ready to serve.
Make it a main dish by adding grilled chicken or grilled shrimp.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. If you know, you are going to reserve part of the salad, withhold the fresh herbs until ready to serve.

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