The Best Greek Orzo Salad Recipe

This Greek orzo salad happened by accident when I had leftover orzo and a bunch of vegetables that needed to get used up. Now it's what everyone asks me to bring to every barbecue and potluck. Emma still picks out half the olives, but he'll eat two bowls of everything else. I make it when it's too hot to turn on the oven or when I need something that travels well and won't go bad sitting on a picnic table.

Close‑up of a wooden bowl filled with Greek orzo salad: pearly orzo pasta tossed with halved red and yellow cherry tomatoes, cucumber cubes, pitted Kalamata olives, crumbled feta, and chopped parsley, all glistening with a light lemon‑olive oil dressing

Why You'll Love This Greek Orzo Salad

This salad gets me through crazy weeks because I make a big bowl on Sunday and eat it for days without wanting to throw it out the window. Emma likes it because there's no lettuce or "weird green stuff," and I like it because it's got vegetables hidden in every bite. You can eat it next to grilled chicken or just grab a bowl and call it dinner.

What's great is how it works for everyone - my vegetarian friend doesn't complain, my picky mother-in-law actually asks for seconds, and the neighbor kids will eat it without making faces. It also looks like you spent way more time on it than you did, which makes you feel like a kitchen rockstar when really you just chopped stuff up and mixed it together.

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Greek Orzo Salad
Ingredients for Greek Orzo Salad
How To Make Greek Orzo Salad Step By Step
Smart Swaps for Your Greek Orzo Salad
Greek Orzo Salad Variations
Storing Your Greek Orzo Salad
Equipment For Greek Orzo Salad
Why This Greek Orzo Salad Works
Top Tip
How My Sister's Dish Became a Family Favorite
FAQ
A Mediterranean Success Story!
Related
Pairing
Greek Orzo Salad

Ingredients for Greek Orzo Salad

The Base:

Orzo pasta
Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh lemon juice
Garlic cloves
Dried oregano
Salt and pepper

Close‑up of a wooden bowl filled with Greek orzo salad: pearly orzo mixed with halved red and yellow cherry tomatoes, cucumber cubes, Kalamata olives, crumbled feta, and chopped parsley, all glistening with a light lemon‑olive oil dressing.

The Good Stuff:

Cherry tomatoes
English cucumber
Red onion
Kalamata olives
Feta cheese
Fresh parsley
Fresh dill

If You're Feeling Extra:

Fresh mint
Red wine vinegar
Capers
Pine nuts

See recipe card for quantities.

Clean overhead view of a glass mixing bowl containing olive oil and lemon juice being whisked; surrounding it are small dishes of minced garlic, dried oregano, coarse salt, and cracked black pepper on a marble surface.

How To Make Greek Orzo Salad Step By Step

Cook the Pasta:

Boil the orzo until it's done but not soggy
Drain and rinse with cold water
Toss with a splash of olive oil so it doesn't clump
Let it cool down completely

Overhead view of a stainless‑steel pot on a stovetop as boiling water is poured over pearled grains (orzo) inside, creating bubbles and steam around the pasta

Prep Your Stuff:

Cut cucumber into small pieces
Cut cherry tomatoes in half
Slice the red onion thin
Chop up the herbs

Top‑down shot of a wooden cutting board holding halved cherry tomatoes in a bowl, thinly sliced red onion, diced cucumber, and a pile of roughly chopped parsley, with a chef’s knife at the edge

Put It Together:

Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic
Add oregano, salt, and pepper
Throw everything in the bowl
Add feta last and mix gently

Clean marble countertop with a glass bowl of lemon‑olive oil vinaigrette being whisked; surrounding it are small dishes of minced garlic, dried oregano, coarse salt, and cracked black pepper.

Let It Sit:

Add more herbs on top before serving
Stick it in the fridge for 30 minutes
Taste and fix the seasoning

High‑angle photograph of a wooden salad bowl filled with orzo, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, red onion, and feta as golden olive oil is poured over it; two wooden servers rest inside the bowl

Smart Swaps for Your Greek Orzo Salad

Pasta Options:

Orzo → Pearl couscous
Regular → Gluten-free orzo
White → Whole wheat pasta

Cheese Swaps:

Feta → Goat cheese
Dairy → Vegan feta
Block → Ricotta salata

Vegetable Changes:

Cucumber → Zucchini
Cherry tomatoes → Grape tomatoes
Red onion → Shallots

Herb Switches:

Parsley → Cilantro
Dill → Fresh mint
Dried oregano → Fresh oregano

No Olives?

Regular → Capers
Kalamata → Green olives
Olives → Sun-dried tomatoes

Greek Orzo Salad Variations

Add Some Protein:

Grilled chicken strips
Chickpeas or white beans
Grilled shrimp
Hard-boiled eggs

Different Stuff to Try:

Roasted red peppers
Artichoke hearts
Sun-dried tomatoes
Toasted pine nuts

Seasonal Switches:

Summer: Fresh corn and basil
Fall: Roasted butternut squash
Spring: Asparagus and peas
Winter: Pomegranate seeds

Change the Dressing:

Use tzatziki instead of lemon dressing
Add grilled halloumi cheese
Throw in some fresh spinach
Extra lemon zest for more bite

Storing Your Greek Orzo Salad

In the Fridge (3-4 days):

Put it in something that seals tight
Keep some extra feta and herbs on the side
Give it a gentle stir before eating
Add fresh herbs right before serving

Make-Ahead Stuff:

You can make this a whole day early
Save half the feta for tomorrow
Don't leave it sitting out for more than 2 hours
Never put this in the freezer (trust me)

Day-Of Serving:

Throw fresh herbs on top so it looks nice
Let it sit out for 30 minutes before serving
Taste it and add more lemon if it needs it
Add a little more olive oil if it looks dry

Equipment For Greek Orzo Salad

Large pot for cooking pasta
Fine mesh strainer
Sharp chef's knife
Large mixing bowl
Whisk for the dressing

Why This Greek Orzo Salad Works

I've made this Greek orzo salad probably a hundred times, and it works every time because I learned three things the hard way. First, you gotta let the pasta cool down completely before adding anything else - hot pasta melts the feta and turns your nice salad into a weird mess. Second, getting the lemon juice and olive oil right matters way more than you'd think. Too much lemon makes it sour, not enough makes it boring.

Emma actually figured this out before I did - he watched me mess it up three times before he said "Mom, maybe don't beat up the cheese so much." The other reason this works is because Greeks have been eating this stuff together forever. The salty olives, tangy feta, and bright lemon all make sense together - I'm not trying to force random ingredients to be friends. When you get the technique right and use ingredients that belong together, you end up with something that tastes way better than the sum of its parts.

Top Tip

The one thing that took me way too long to figure out is salting your cucumber. I know it sounds weird, but just listen. Cut up your cucumber, sprinkle it with salt, and let it sit in a colander for about 15 minutes. Then rinse it off and pat it dry. This gets rid of all the extra water that makes your salad gross and soggy the next day.

I learned this from my neighbor who's actually Greek, and she looked at me like I was nuts when I told her I just chopped cucumber and threw it right in. "No wonder it gets watery," she said. Now I do this every time, and my salad stays good for days instead of turning into mush. It's one of those things that feels like extra work but totally changes how everything tastes.

How My Sister's Dish Became a Family Favorite

My sister brought this Greek orzo salad to a family barbecue about five years ago, and I didn't think much of it. This is the same person who burned scrambled eggs last month. But everyone kept going back for seconds, including my dad who thinks vegetables are what food eats. When I asked how she made it, she laughed and said she just followed some recipe she found and didn't mess with it.

I started making it at home, and Emma actually asked for "that pasta salad thing" by name, which never happens. Then I brought it to a work potluck and had three people bug me for the recipe. That's when I knew my sister had found something good. Now it shows up at every family gathering, and she still acts like she invented it, even though I've made it way more times than she has. Sometimes the best stuff comes from the person you least expect to find it.

FAQ

What is the best dressing for Greek Orzo Salad?

Just mix olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, and oregano. I do about 3 parts oil to 1 part lemon juice. I tried getting fancy with other dressings but this simple mix tastes the best and doesn't hide all the good stuff.

What is in Greek orzo salad?

The main stuff is orzo pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, fresh parsley and dill, plus that lemon-olive oil dressing. Some people throw in bell peppers or chickpeas, but these basics give you the real Greek taste.

What are the ingredients in a traditional Greek Orzo Salad?

Real Greek salad has tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, oregano, and olive oil. No lettuce in the original. This orzo salad is basically the same flavors with pasta added to make it more filling.

What goes with Greek Orzo Salad?

This works great next to grilled chicken, lamb kebabs, or grilled fish. It also goes with other Greek food like spanakopita or dolmades. For lighter meals, eat it with pita bread, hummus, and tzatziki.

A Mediterranean Success Story!

Now you've got everything you need to make this Greek orzo salad that'll have people bugging you for the recipe at every barbecue. This colorful dish proves that throwing simple stuff together the right way can turn out way better than fancy complicated recipes.

Want more things that'll make you look like a cooking rockstar? Fire up the grill with our Best Ranch Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers that vanish before you can blink. Need the perfect side dish? Our Best Homemade Baked Beans Recipe beats anything from a can. For nights when you want something cozy, try our Easy Butter Chicken Recipe that Emma begs for at least twice a week!