Mediterranean orzo salad with crunchy veggies, briny feta, fresh herbs, and a zesty Greek-style dressing. This easy recipe tastes even better the next day—perfect for make-ahead lunches and cookouts!

This simple orzo salad recipe was inspired by a summer trip to Greece, which essentially mandates a twice-daily Horiatiki (Greek Salad). I was a little too hungry to call that dinner, so I quickly boiled orzo pasta and tossed it right in.
Not only was it a flavorful, fresh, and feel-good meal, I also happily enjoyed the leftovers all week. It reminded me of everything I love about orzo–quick to cook, impossible to mess up, and so flexible. (It’s delicious with shrimp, chicken, and even strawberries!)
In this weeknight-friendly recipe, the orzo pasta soaks in the garlicky dressing, along with the flavor from the fresh herbs and tomatoes’ lingering juices. You get all the make-ahead benefits of a classic pasta salad. By skipping the mayo, you also have the Mediterranean magic of a zesty dressing with good extra virgin olive oil. Plus, you can happily repurpose the leftovers for lunches all week long!
Table of Contents

What’s In Orzo Salad?
I went for a Greek orzo salad–or Greek-style, to be technical about it. This is not a traditional Greek recipe, but it does embrace the sunny flavors and vibrant produce that make Greek cuisine so loved. You’ll need:
For the Orzo Pasta Salad
- Orzo: A small pasta that’s cut to be about the size of rice–you can read all about it in our What is Orzo? guide. Substitute with other small pasta shapes like couscous, or swap in cooked grains. Choose grains with a springy texture that can hold their own against the fresh veggies, like farro or smoky freekeh.
- Tomatoes: Smaller, sweet varieties that are firm when ripe, like grape or cherry, work best with the orzo.
- Green onions: Substitute with shallot, chive, or red onion.
- Bell pepper: I like the earthy flavor of green bell peppers with the sweet tomatoes, but feel free to use sweeter bell peppers like yellow or red.
- Fresh herbs: Parsley and dill bring a distinctly Greek vibe, but you can certainly mix this up with other tender green herbs like basil or cilantro.
- Kalamata olives and capers: These add texture and a nice briny tang.
- Cucumber: Go for English or Persian cucumbers if you can, as they have a sweeter, more tender skin. If you’re working with a standard sandwich cucumber, peel it first.
- Feta cheese: Go for a large block of feta packed in brine, which is usually more flavorful than precrumbled feta. Torn mozzarella works as a substitute, or leave this off if you avoid dairy.
For the Garlic and Lemon Dressing
- Lemon: Substitute with lime.
- Extra virgin olive oil: The orzo soaks up the flavor of the dressing, so a rich, fresh-tasting olive oil makes a huge difference. (I love our Greek Early Harvest with this recipe.)
- Garlic: Fresh garlic gives an assertive kick to the Greek-style salad dressing. If you’re sensitive to raw garlic, let it marinate in the lemon juice for 30 minutes or so before cooking the recipe. Simply strain it out before whisking in the remaining dressing ingredients.
- Seasoning: Dried oregano dials up the Greek flavor, bringing a strong aromatic quality. Salt and pepper perk everything up.

How to Make Orzo Salad
To make orzo salad, you simply boil the orzo to al dente as you would any pasta, drain it, then toss it in the dressing while it’s still hot so it soaks up all the goodness. Here are the steps:
- Cook the pasta. Cook 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta to al dente according to package instructions (mine took about 8 minutes). Drain and cool briefly.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the juice and zest of 1 lemon, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon oregano, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Mix the salad. In a large mixing bowl, toss together 1 pint of halved cherry tomatoes, 2 chopped green onions, 1 chopped green bell pepper, 1 English cucumber, 1 packed cup chopped parsley, 1/2 packed cup chopped dill, 1/4 cup sliced Kalamata olives, and 2 teaspoons capers. Stir in the cooked orzo.
- Dress. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until well combined and the orzo pasta is well coated with the dressing. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes or so, or up to 3 days.
- Finish and serve. Just before serving, top with pieces of creamy feta cheese. Enjoy!
What to Serve with Mediterranean Orzo Salad
I love to make a big batch of this Greek orzo salad for dinner on a Sunday, then the leftovers become my go-to side for the week. After a busy day, I just need to make an easy protein, like Lemon Garlic Chicken or Pan Seared Salmon. For a casual picnic, serve with pitcher drinks like Watermelon Lemonade and Sangria.
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Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups orzo
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 green onions, trimmed and chopped (both white and green parts)
- 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 English cucumber
- 1 packed cup chopped parsley
- 1/2 packed cup chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
- 2 teaspoons capers
- Feta cheese (optional), for garnish
For the Dressing
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Cook the orzo pasta to al dente according package instructions (mine took about 8 minutes). Drain and cool briefly.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, zest, olive oil, garlic, oregano and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Mix the salad. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the tomato, green onion, bell pepper, cucumber, parsley, dill, olives, and capers. Stir in the cooked orzo.
- Dress. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until well combined and the orzo pasta is well coated with the dressing. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes or so, or up to 3 days.
- Finish and serve. Just before serving, top with pieces of creamy feta cheese. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil, olives, and Greek oregano used in this recipe.
- Serving suggestions: This Mediterranean orzo salad pairs well with a variety of dishes, from lamb and chicken to scallops and salmon.
- How to store leftovers: Leftover orzo salad will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days (you may want to hold the cucumber and store separately if you plan on enjoying leftovers throughout the week).
Nutrition

Try Our Greek Oregano!
This dried herb straight from Greece is lemony, fragrant, and perfect for everyday use.
*This post has recently been updated with new information for readers’ benefit.
So delighted with another wonderful Mediterranean Dish recipe! We will enjoy this one today with veggie/chicken kabobs.
I look forward to each week’s suggestions for meals.
I have one question though – would it be possible to add a serving size to recipes? When the notes say ‘serves six’ I always wonder if that’s six people being careful with amounts or 3 very hungry people. Perhaps something like ‘makes 6 1-cup servings’?
Many thanks for creating such delicious recipes for us each week – absolutely the best food site online –
Hi, Robin. Thanks for the kind words and feedback! The nutrition info here is a best estimate as we use a very simple program that calculates it for us based on the ingredient list. The exact serving size measurement is another layer that’s harder for us to precisely calculate at this time. We’ll keep working to find a good solution, though!
Followed recipe as written. Great flavors; a hit! Wife did it for a pot luck picnic & made a double batch. Again a hit. Keeps well in fridge, too.
Thanks, Jim!
delicious salad! It was a hit! I used lentils instead of orzo for dietary reasons.
Thanks for sharing, Suzanne!
Yum! This was a great salad, loved all the flavors!
So glad you enjoyed it, Maya!
Suzy….
this is one of my favorite recipes
I have made this 4 times within the last month
Love it
Awesome! Thanks, Eva!
Yum! This was perfect for dinner last night on the side of our grilled chicken and veggies! Perfect combo 🙂
This is perfect for a side dish I am needing for a dinner this week! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome!! Hope you love it
Hi I just tried this and its great, so light but filling i made enough to have some left over for dinner
Thank you, Debbie! So glad you enjoyed it!
My kids loved this. I served it with the orzo still warm and they loved all the goodies in the salad. Thanks for always posting such delicious recipes!! Family friendly and healthy.
Awesome!!! Thanks, Lisalia!
By far, our favorite salad ever! Super easy to make and the fresh flavors are totally refreshing.
Yay! Thank you so much, Kellie!
This is packed full of amazing flavors!! Thanks for the recipe!
My pleasure, Toni!! So glad you gave it a try!
This sounds so delicious and tasty! I can’t wait to give this a try! My daughter is going to love this recipe!
Thanks, Beth!
This salad looks and sounds so flavoursome and love that I can pair it with your harissa chicken,
Oooo! Great combo idea! Thanks, Charla!
Made this for dinner last night. My husband loved it. It was easy to make and so delicious. We have lots of leftovers and I will be taking it to work for lunch, all next week. Thank you! I will certainly be making it again.
Awesome! Thanks, Michele!
This salad looks delicious. Can you suggest substitutions for the green bell pepper. My grandkids like every other vegetable. Love your videos and recipes!
How about yellow peppers? A little milder, but still adds some crunch.
We used cucumber..
I am about to make the baked chicken drumsticks and was looking for a side to go along. This is perfection! Thanks so much!
Awesome, Amanda! Thanks so much