Greek Orzo Salad With Cucumber and Feta
A bright, Greek-inspired orzo salad with cucumber, tomato, red onion, olives, and feta tossed in a lemon-oregano dressing—easy to prep ahead and even better after a short chill.
Equipment
- Medium pot
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Large mixing bowl
- Small bowl or jar (for dressing)
- Whisk
- Tray or large plate (to cool pasta)
Ingredients
For the salad
- 200 g dry orzo pasta (about 7 oz; about 1 cup)
- 1 medium English cucumber diced small (about 250 g / 9 oz)
- 150 g cherry or grape tomatoes halved or quartered (about 1 cup)
- 60 g pitted Kalamata olives sliced (about 1/2 cup)
- 40 g red onion finely diced (about 1/4 cup; about 1/4 small onion)
- 120 g feta cheese cut into small cubes or crumbled (about 4 oz)
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill or fresh oregano finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried oregano)
For the lemon-oregano dressing
- 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil (1/4 cup)
- 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1–2 small cloves garlic finely minced or grated
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2–3/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp honey or sugar optional
To finish (optional)
- 1–2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling before serving
- extra chopped herbs or feta for topping
Instructions
- Cook the orzo: Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package directions until just al dente, usually 8–10 minutes.
- Drain and cool the pasta: Drain orzo in a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse briefly under cool water (10–15 seconds) to stop cooking, then shake well to drain. Spread on a tray/plate to cool, or leave in the strainer and toss a few times as it cools.
- Make the dressing: Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, dried oregano, and honey (if using) in a small bowl or jar. Taste and adjust—it should be bright and tangy; it will mellow once mixed with pasta and vegetables.
- Prep the vegetables and feta: Dice cucumber small. Halve or quarter tomatoes. Thinly slice or finely dice red onion. Slice olives. Cut or crumble feta into small pieces. Finely chop parsley and dill or oregano.
- Combine the base: In a large mixing bowl, add cooled orzo, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and olives. Toss gently to mix.
- Dress the salad: Whisk dressing again, then pour about three-quarters over the orzo mixture. Toss thoroughly, scraping the bowl so everything is coated. Let sit 5–10 minutes to absorb.
- Fold in feta and herbs: Add most of the feta and chopped herbs, reserving a little for garnish. Gently fold so the feta doesn’t fully break down. Taste and add remaining dressing, more salt, or more lemon as needed.
- Chill or serve: Serve right away at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Before serving from the fridge, toss, drizzle with a little extra olive oil, and let sit 10–15 minutes to take the chill off. Top with reserved feta and herbs.
Nutrition
Calories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 11gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 780mgPotassium: 420mgFiber: 3.5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 650IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 220mgIron: 2.5mg
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