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Easy Greek Pasta Salad with Orzo is a recipe you need on rotation. It’s a perfect lunch to prep ahead of time, and it’s not a boring, bland pasta salad at all. I find that it even gets better as it sits. It has roasted sweet and jammy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, salty feta, lots of herbs, and briny olives, all tossed together with orzo.
Table of Contents
The secret to making this the most delicious pasta salad you’ve had is all about the dressing. The olive oil you would normally add to the dressing gets drizzled on cherry tomatoes, chopped onion, and garlic, and these get roasted in the oven until soft and jammy.
Once they’re cooked, you add the rest of the salad dressing ingredients to this mixture, and it makes the most incredible dressing for this salad. I don’t love raw onion in salads, and this way you still get a hint of onion, but it’s softer and less sharp. I love making easy salad bowls like this so if you want something veggie, try my corn and feta pasta salad or, for pescetarians, try my easy sushi salmon bowl.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It gets better as it sits. The vegetables don’t wilt, the orzo absorbs the delicious dressing, and stays so delicious
- Chopping the vegetables nice and small means you get everything in one bite.
- The freshness from the herbs and the roasted tomatoes makes a dressing in itself, so it’s maximum flavor for minimum effort.
Ingredients
- Orzo – You could use another pasta shape, but I love orzo here as it goes with the bite-sized veg.
- Cherry tomatoes – Sweet and delicious, these are roasted to turn into the dressing. Since they are roasted, you don’t need to use on-the-vine tomatoes, although I would recommend them.
- Feta – A Greek cheese that adds a salty, creamy element to the salad. It melts slightly when the orzo is warm and coats the salad nicely.
- Fresh dill – A bright herb that goes nicely with the salty olives and feta. It’s warm and sharp at the same time. If you really don’t like dill, just bump up the parsley.
- Black olives – I like black olives, but you could use green.
Substitutions and variations
Adding protein: Sometimes, to bump up the protein in this Greek pasta salad with orzo, I’ll toss in some good quality chickpeas or even some shredded chicken.
Parsley/Dill: Swap for basil, chives, or just more of the parsley or more of the dill if you don’t like one of these herbs.
Cucumber: I have used chopped peppers before instead of cucumber. I prefer cucumber, but either adds the refreshing, crunchy aspect that you need.
Orzo: I wrote this recipe for orzo, as then you get a bite of everything in one mouthful since it’s so small. I also find orzo is an ingredient that keeps well over time in the fridge. You could use other pasta shapes too, just probably not long pasta like spaghetti.
Olives: Sub for capers if you have them and prefer them. They are a bit more salty/briny, so perhaps start with less than 1/2 cup, taste and see.
How to make easy Greek pasta salad with orzo
Here’s a quick visual guide — the full recipe with exact measurements is below.
ONE: Place the tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet. Pour over the oil and season well with Maldon salt and pepper. Add the lemon zest. Cook for 20 minutes at 428°F (220°C/200°C fan) until everything is soft.
TWO: Once the tomatoes are softened, tip into a bowl and add the Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar.
THREE: Stir lots of chopped herbs into the roasted soft tomatoes to finish the dressing.
FOUR: Pour this mixture over the veg, feta, and pasta. (Ideally, the pasta is still warm so it soaks up all the dressing.)
Tips from Margie’s kitchen
- Orzo – Cook the orzo according to the package directions and drain it well before tossing it with the dressing so the salad isn’t too wet.
- How to serve – The orzo really absorbs the dressing, especially if you toss it together when it’s warm. If you’re not going to eat it straight away, it will sit happily in the fridge for a few days, but take it out 30 minutes before serving. Everything tastes better at room temperature and not straight from the fridge.
Frequently asked questions
Orzo is just pasta in a very small shape that almost resembles rice. It has a firm texture that holds its shape well, even when mixed with other ingredients, which is why it works so well in pasta salads like this. If you like orzo, you may want to try my Creamy Tomato Orzo or this Chicken, Halloumi, Spinach Orzo – both weeknight staples.
In an airtight container, this will happily sit in the fridge for 3-4 days. Just let it come to room temp before eating and serving.
Yes, the whole salad keeps really well for 4 days. Make as instructed, then keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Take it out 30 minutes before serving; everything tastes better at room temperature and not straight from the fridge. For more salads that you can also prep, try my crispy halloumi salad and apple fennel salad.
Other recipes you might enjoy
If you’re looking for more salads, try my Bacon and Brussels Sprout Salad with a Mustard Vinaigrette or Salad with Beetroot, Lentils, and Feta. Otherwise, if you’re in the mood for orzo, Lemon Feta Orzo and Lemon Chicken Orzo are both delicious options. For something with some more protein, try my Spicy Salmon Bowls, or if you want to stick with just salmon, my Salmon Crudo is so light and refreshing.
Easy Pasta Recipes
Creamy Orzo with Tomato and Mascarpone
Easy Pasta Recipes
Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Weeknight Supper
Salsa Verde Chicken Burgers with Yoghurt Slaw
Under 30 Minutes
Prawn and Tomato Linguine
If you tried this Greek Pasta Salad with Orzo or any other recipe on the site, please do leave a comment and let us know how it went!
Greek Pasta Salad with Orzo
Ingredients
- 1 cup orzo, dry
- 1.3 lb cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 cucumbers, peeled and cut into small dice
- 1/2 block feta, around 3 1/2 oz/100 g
- Salt and pepper
- 1 small bunch fresh dill, chopped
- 1 small bunch parsley, chopped
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup pitted black olives, cut in half
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 428°F (220°C/200°C fan).
- Place the tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet. Pour over the oil and season well with Maldon salt and pepper. Add the lemon zest. Cook for 20 minutes, until everything is soft.
- Cook orzo according to package instructions, once cooked drain and add to a bowl with the chopped cucumber and olives.
- Once the tomatoes are softened, tip them into a bowl and add the Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar. Add the herbs, stir well, and pour this mixture over the pasta. (Ideally, the pasta is still warm so it soaks up all the dressing.)
- Crumble in the feta. Stir and enjoy!
Notes
Make-ahead and storage
To store: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container for 4 days. Make ahead: This keeps really well for 4 days. Make as instructed, then keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Take it out 30 minutes before serving. Everything tastes better at room temperature and not straight from the fridge.More quick tips
Adding protein: Sometimes, to bump up the protein in this Greek pasta salad with orzo, I toss in some good quality chickpeas or even some shredded chicken, but it is really great as it is. Parsley/Dill: Swap for basil, chives, or just more of the parsley or more of the dill if you don’t like one of these herbs. Orzo: I wrote this recipe for orzo, as then you get a bite of everything in one mouthful since it’s so small. I also find orzo is an ingredient that keeps well over time in the fridge, but you could use other pasta shapes too, just probably not long pasta like spaghetti. Olives: Sub for capers if you have them and prefer them. They are a bit more salty/briny, so perhaps start with less than 1/2 cup, taste and see.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
