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Fresh Greek Orzo Salad Recipe Easy Zesty Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

Fresh Greek Orzo Salad - featured image
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A bright, fresh Greek orzo salad tossed with crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, kalamata olives, and creamy feta, all coated in a zesty lemon herb vinaigrette. Perfect for quick lunches, potlucks, or summer dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (about 280 grams) dry orzo pasta
  • 1 large English cucumber, diced
  • 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 teaspoon fresh finely chopped)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 1 ½ cups (280 g) orzo pasta and cook according to package instructions, about 8-10 minutes until al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
  2. Drain orzo in a colander and rinse briefly with cold water to stop cooking and cool it down. Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  3. While the pasta cooks, dice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, pit and halve the kalamata olives, finely chop the red onion, and chop the parsley and dill. Add all to the bowl with the orzo.
  4. In a small bowl or jar, combine olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper. Whisk or shake vigorously until emulsified and slightly thickened.
  5. Pour the vinaigrette over the orzo and vegetables. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat everything evenly.
  6. Add crumbled feta cheese and fold it in carefully to avoid breaking it up too much.
  7. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

To prevent watery salad, drain cucumbers well or lightly salt and squeeze out excess moisture before adding. Rinse orzo with cold water after cooking to stop cooking and cool it down. Mustard in vinaigrette acts as an emulsifier to prevent separation. Refrigerate salad for at least 30 minutes for best flavor. Can substitute feta with tofu or vegan cheese for dairy-free version. Use quinoa or gluten-free couscous for gluten-free option.

Nutrition

Keywords: Greek orzo salad, lemon herb vinaigrette, easy pasta salad, summer salad, healthy salad, vegetarian salad, quick salad

Find it online: https://cheerycrisp.com/fresh-greek-orzo-salad-recipe-easy-zesty-lemon-herb-vinaigrette/