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 substances in a big bowl, add the dressing, and toss!
You’ll Love this Mediterranean Orzo Salad Recipe…
Say hey to the last 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 excellent 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 hold it within the fridge for as much as 5 days!
Greek Orzo Pasta Salad: Components
- Orzo: Though it appears 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 when you can’t discover orzo, use one other small pasta like macaroni or orecchiette. Simply make sure you prepare dinner it al dente!
- Tomatoes: With regards to tomatoes, use no matter selection appears greatest! Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and even chopped heirloom or vine tomatoes will work nice.
- Cucumber: I like utilizing english cucumber on this recipe, however nearly any cucumber selection will work. Be at liberty to peel the cucumber or go away the peel on when you favor.
- Feta Cheese: Use the very best number of feta cheese you will get your fingers on! For the very best taste, I recommend shopping for a big block of feta cheese and crumbling it your self.
- Purple Onion: For those who’re not a fan of purple onion, be happy to omit the onion or cut back the quantity.
- Kalamata Olives: You’ll use the olives within the dressing in addition to the salad. You should buy contemporary or jarred olives. I recommend shopping for water packed olives vs oil packed olives, however each will work in a pinch.
- Purple Bell Pepper: Recent purple pepper provides a scrumptious crunch, jarred roasted purple peppers make a nice substitute.
- Inexperienced Pepper: Not a inexperienced pepper fan? Be at liberty to omit this ingredient, no want so as to add something as a replacement.
- Chickpeas: I used canned chickpeas, however you possibly can definitely soak your personal. Remember to 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 favor contemporary garlic and 100% recommend utilizing it for the salad dressing. However in a pinch, use 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Oregano: I favor utilizing contemporary oregano, however you should use dried oregano when you can’t discover contemporary. Use half the quantity known as for.
- Lemon Juice: Recent 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 kind of pasta salad recipes that’s laborious to “mess up”.
Be at liberty to strive including contemporary 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
- Carry a Giant Pot of water to a Boil: Don’t prepare dinner the orzo based on the bundle directions.
- Prepare dinner the Orzo: For six to 7 minutes, or till al dente. You need to pull the pasta earlier than it’s gentle right through.
- Drain: You’ll need to drain the pasta proper after you prepare dinner the orzo, after which rinse it beneath 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!
The way to Make Orzo Salad
- Prepare dinner the Pasta: Carry 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 slicing all the things into bite-sized items so it’s straightforward to eat.
- Make the Salad Dressing: Remember to style earlier than dressing your salad. Season with salt and pepper as wanted. If it tastes flat, be happy so as to add additional contemporary lemon juice or vinegar.
- Toss the Salad: To the massive bowl, add the salad dressing, chickpeas, chopped greens, feta cheese, and toss. You may sprinkle slightly additional feta cheese on prime to make it look fairly.
- Serve your Salad: Serve straight away, or cowl the bowl and place it within the fridge. It’ll hold for as much as 5 days… not that it ever lasts that lengthy in my home!
Bounce to the recipe for the total listing of substances and directions!
Instruments Wanted for this Orzo Salad Recipe:
- Giant Mixing Bowl: Toss and serve your salad in type with this massive bowl.
- Salad Servers: You’ll want salad servers, so that you may as properly spend money on some sturdy and fairly ones proper?
- Slicing Board: That is my favourite slicing 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 like utilizing a big liquid measuring cup to make the salad dressing (and all vinaigrettes).
- Kalamata Olives: These are really my favourite olives, so contemporary and flavorful! They style superb on this recipe.
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Extra Summer time Salad Recipes:
Greek Orzo Salad
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 substances in a big bowl, add the dressing, and toss!
Components
- 1 pound orzo
- 1 massive english cucumber sliced in half lengthwise then minimize into half moons
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes minimize in half
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives pitted and sliced in half
- 1 small purple bell pepper seeds eliminated and diced
- 1 small inexperienced pepper seeds eliminated and diced
- 1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas drained, rinsed, and patted dry
- 1 small purple onion diced
- 1 8 ounce container feta cheese crumbled
For the Purple Wine French dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons purple wine vinegar
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest finely grated
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon contemporary Oregano finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt extra to style
- 1/2 teaspoon floor black pepper extra to style
- 2 Tablespoons Kalamata olives finely chopped
Directions
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Place a big pot of salted water over excessive warmth and produce to a rolling boil. Add orzo and prepare dinner till al dente, 7 to eight minutes.
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Drain pasta and rinse beneath chilly water till cool.
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Place pasta in a big serving bowl and put aside.
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Within the meantime, put together the greens and dressing.
For the Purple Wine French dressing:
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In a small bowl mix the olive oil, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, zest, mustard, oregano, sugar, salt, pepper, and olives. Whisk properly till fully mixed. Add dressing to orzo.
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Add greens, olives, chickpeas, and feta to the orzo bowl and blend properly to mix. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
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Serve without delay, or chill till wanted. Salad will hold, coated and saved within the fridge, for as much as 5 days. Combine properly earlier than serving.
