Mediterranean Orzo Salad

What Goes Into Orzo Salad?

• Orzo: The main ingredient in this salad is cooked orzo. You can check out my tutorial to learn how to cook orzo using 2 easy methods. You can even prepare the orzo a couple of days in advance.
• Vegetables: I use Persian cucumbers, red onion and tomatoes for this recipe. They give a bit of Turkish shepherd’s salad vibes which I love! Just keep in mind to remove all the tomato seeds and the middle part so they don’t release much juice into the salad.
• Olives: I used a combination of chopped kalamata and green olives.
• Dill: Adds a lot of flavor to the salad. If dill is not available, use other herbs such as parsley or green onions.
• Dried mint: This is the Mediterranean touch you don’t want to miss. Find dried mint at Middle Eastern or Mediterranean shops as well as online.
• Lemon: For some bright flavors. Freshly squeezed lemon juice works best for this recipe.
• Feta: Finish the salad with some crumbled feta. It’s best to use a block of feta, preferably in brine, and crumble it yourself.

How To Make Orzo Salad

Start by cooking the orzo, which is very similar to cooking pasta. You can even cook it a day in advance. If doing so, toss it with some olive oil to prevent clumping.

Mix the orzo with the cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes, olives, dill, dried mint, salt and pepper. Add in the olive oil and lemon juice, then gently toss so all is well combined.

Transfer to the serving bowl or plate and top with crumbled feta. You can serve this orzo salad cold or at room temperature.

Jazz It Up!

There are a few ingredients you can add to this orzo salad to make it your own:

• Add some grilled chicken or tuna to turn it into a complete meal.
• Add legumes such as chickpeas or white beans.
• Use cherry tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes.
• Use goat cheese instead of feta. You can also just skip the cheese to make this orzo salad dairy-free.
• Use pickles such as dill pickles, preserved lemon or banana pepper to add a kick.
• Stir in a couple tablespoons of basil pesto for an Italian flair.

What Do You Serve Orzo Salad With?

This Mediterranean orzo salad makes a delicious side dish for summer dishes such as grilled salmon, shrimp skewers, harissa chicken thighs, lamb chops and spatchcock chicken.

You can also serve it alongside dishes such as baked chicken legs with sumac, Greek style mahi mahi or pan seared salmon.