Mediterranean Orzo Salad

This post is sponsored by Pacific Foods. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own.

The summer is ending and its back-to-school time which also means it’s time for quick and easy meals that you can prep ahead and enjoy all week! This Mediterranean Orzo Salad made with Pacific Foods Low Sodium Vegetable Broth is the perfect side dish to prep on Sunday and eat throughout the work or school week.

The summer might be ending, but I wanted one final chance to celebrate the bright and fresh flavors of summer. I am not quite ready for comfort foods! This Mediterranean Orzo Salad is a one-pot recipe that includes some of my summer favorites like juicy cherry tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers.

The flavor in the orzo for this salad is intensified by cooking it in Pacific Foods Low Sodium Vegetable Broth and water instead of just your typical water. The flavor is then layered with a basic vinaigrette of lemon juice, red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Red wine vinegar is my first choice when I make mediterranean food, but I think a white wine vinegar could also be great in this dish.

When I made this dish at home I served it a bunch of different ways. I had it at a potluck alongside burgers and hotdogs. Then I had it for lunch a few times on a bed of greens and with some grilled chicken.

This Mediterranean Orzo Salad is best served chilled or at room temperature. I like to keep it a little chilled so that my cucumbers have a nice crunch and my feta is cold. When I pull this out of the fridge to eat as leftovers I like to give it a quick stir in case any of the dressing has dropped to the bottom.

I put together a quick tutorial video so that you can see just how easy it is to make this Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Pacific Foods Low Sodium Vegetable Broth. It is fun to see the whole process cut down to a quick 1 minute clip. Hit the play button above to check it out.

You only need a few simple pieces of kitchen equipment to put this Mediterranean Orzo Salad together. Grab a large pot for cooking your orzo. I also use this to mix my whole meal together.
You will also need a sharp knife and a cutting board to chop all your veggies and herbs. I used a small mixing bowl to mix up my dressing. Finally, I used a microplane to zest my lemon and really up the flavors in this dish.

To make Mediterranean Orzo Salad add 1 container of Pacific Foods Low Sodium Vegetable Broth to a large pot with 6 cups of water. Then bring this liquid to a boil. Pour the orzo into the boiling liquid and stir.

Allow the orzo to cook in the boiling water for 7-9 minutes stirring occasionally to make sure the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Next, remove the pan from heat, drain liquid from the orzo and place the orzo back in the pan or a large mixing bowl.

Next I like to drizzle the orzo with a little olive oil and mix to prevent it from sticking to the pot or bowl while it cools. While the orzo cools chop the cucumber, quarter the cherry tomatoes, half the olives, crumble or cube the feta and chop the herbs. Once the orzo is almost cooled pour in the olive oil, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar and mix thoroughly.

Next, mix in the cucumber, tomatoes, olives, feta, herbs and lemon zest. Then you are ready to enjoy the salad! If you don’t finish it all in one sitting, store the Mediterranean Orzo Salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week. Keep reading to find the full recipe!