Greek Food Salads

Greek Orzo Salad with Feta, Olives and Lemon Dressing

Name: Greek Orzo Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 300 g orzo; 250 g cherry tomatoes (halved); 1 cucumber (diced); 1/2 red onion (finely chopped); 1 red bell pepper (diced); 80 g Kalamata olives (halved); 150 g Greek feta (crumbled); 15 g flat-leaf parsley (chopped); 10 g fresh dill or mint (chopped); 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 3 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 small garlic clove (finely grated); 1 tsp dried Greek oregano; 1/2 tsp honey; 1/2 tsp fine sea salt; black pepper (to taste)

Orzo pasta with tomato, cucumber, red onion, olives and feta in a lemon-oregano dressing. A Greek-inspired salad for lunches and barbecues.

Serves

Calories

400 kcal

Cuisine

Greek

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Bowl of Greek orzo salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, feta and herbs in a lemon dressing

On this page: What is it · History · What you need · Step by step · Serving & storage · Recipe card

Greek orzo salad combines the flavours of a classic Greek salad with small rice-shaped pasta: tomato, cucumber, red onion, Kalamata olives and feta, tossed in a sharp lemon and oregano dressing.

It is a Greek-inspired salad rather than a traditional Greek dish, but it is very useful. It holds up for days in the fridge, travels well and works as a side for grilled meat or a lunch on its own.

It takes about 25 minutes, most of it while the orzo cooks.

What Is It?

Orzo is a small pasta shaped like grains of rice. In Greece it is called kritharaki, from krithari, the word for barley, because of its shape.

This salad uses the same ingredients as a horiatiki, the Greek village salad, and adds cooked orzo and a quick lemon-oregano vinaigrette so everything holds together.

Because the pasta absorbs the dressing as it sits, it tastes even better a few hours after you make it.

A Little History

Greek orzo salad served at an outdoor summer lunch with grilled chicken skewers

In Greek kitchens, kritharaki is mostly used in warm dishes: baked with meat in youvetsi, cooked in tomato sauce, or added to soups.

Cold orzo salads with Greek salad flavours are a more recent idea, popular with home cooks and food writers outside Greece as a practical, make-ahead salad.

We call it Greek-inspired for that reason. The flavours come straight from the Greek table, but the dish itself is a modern take.

At a glance

Serves

Calories

400 kcal

Protein

12 g

Course

Salad, Lunch

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Why it works

01 Ready in 25 minutes

02 Keeps 3 days: ideal for meal prep

03 All the flavours of a Greek salad, more filling

Greek orzo salad with feta, olives and fresh herbs, seen from above

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What You Need

Exact amounts are in the recipe card

For the Salad

orzo
cherry tomatoes, halved
cucumber, diced
red onion, finely chopped
red bell pepper, diced
Kalamata olives, halved
Greek feta, crumbled
flat-leaf parsley, chopped
fresh dill or mint, chopped

For the Dressing

extra virgin olive oil
lemon juice
red wine vinegar
small garlic clove, finely grated
dried Greek oregano
honey
fine sea salt
black pepper, to taste

Ingredients for Greek orzo salad: orzo, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, pepper, olives, feta, herbs, lemon and olive oil

Step-by-Step Instructions

Cook and cool the orzo, chop the vegetables while it boils, then dress everything together.

Orzo boiling in salted water for Greek orzo salad

1. Cook the orzo

Cook the orzo in well-salted boiling water according to the packet, usually 8 to 10 minutes, until just tender.

Rinsing cooked orzo under cold water in a colander so it doesn't stick

2. Rinse and cool

Drain the orzo and rinse it under cold water until cool. Drain well and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil so it doesn’t stick together.

Shaking lemon, olive oil, vinegar, garlic and oregano dressing in a jar for Greek orzo salad

3. Make the dressing

Shake or whisk the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, honey, salt and pepper until combined.

Pouring dressing over orzo, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, pepper and olives in a large bowl

4. Combine the salad

Put the orzo, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, pepper and olives in a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss well.

Tip: If you have time, rest the salad for 30 minutes before adding the feta and herbs. The orzo absorbs the dressing and the flavours deepen.

5. Finish and serve

Fold in the feta and herbs just before serving. Taste and add a squeeze of lemon or a pinch of salt if needed.

Serving & Storage

Serving

Serve as a side with chicken souvlaki, keftedes or grilled fish, or on its own as a light lunch. It is a great dish to bring to barbecues and picnics.

Add a tin of drained chickpeas or some grilled chicken to make it a complete meal.

Storing Leftovers

Keep the salad in an airtight container in the fridge. The orzo soaks up the dressing over time, so add a splash of olive oil and lemon before serving leftovers.

Dressed salad	up to 3 days
Cooked orzo, plain	up to 4 days
Freezer	not recommended

For meal prep, keep the feta and herbs separate and add them on the day you eat it.

Greek Orzo Salad

Orzo pasta with tomato, cucumber, red onion, olives and feta in a lemon-oregano dressing. A Greek-inspired salad for lunches and barbecues.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Greek

Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 400

Equipment

Large pot
Colander
Large salad bowl
Jar with a lid or small bowl

Ingredients

Salad

300 g orzo
250 g cherry tomatoes halved
1 cucumber diced
1/2 red onion finely chopped
1 red bell pepper diced
80 g Kalamata olives halved
150 g Greek feta crumbled
15 g flat-leaf parsley chopped
10 g fresh dill or mint chopped

Dressing

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 small garlic clove finely grated
1 tsp dried Greek oregano
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
black pepper to taste

Rinsing the orzo is unusual for pasta, but here it stops it cooking and keeps the salad from turning gluey.

For a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free orzo or swap in cooked rice.

Instructions

Cook the orzo in well-salted boiling water according to the packet, usually 8 to 10 minutes, until just tender.
Drain the orzo and rinse it under cold water until cool. Drain well and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil so it doesn’t stick together.
Shake or whisk the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, honey, salt and pepper until combined.
Put the orzo, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, pepper and olives in a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss well.
Fold in the feta and herbs just before serving. Taste and add a squeeze of lemon or a pinch of salt if needed.