Mediterranean Orzo Salad

This Mediterranean Orzo Salad is the ultimate side dish. Just toss cooked orzo with feta, veggies and fresh herbs and serve!

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.

Kitchen tools

• Sauce pan
• Mixing bowls
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Microplane to zest the lemon
• Measuring spoons and measuring cups
• Large serving bowl

Serving Suggestions

This Greek orzo salad recipe is the ultimate side dish. I like to serve it with balsamic grilled chicken, air fryer pork tenderloin or air fryer flank steak.

It is also a fantastic meal prep option. I like to serve it on a bed of arugula and top it with some protein like chicken or even air fryer tofu.

Ingredients

• Orzo
• Vegetable broth
• Cucumber
• Kalamata olives
• Cherry tomatoes
• Feta cheese
• Lemon juice and lemon zest
• Red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh parsley and fresh dill
• Salt and pepper

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.

Ingredient substitutions

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. If you want to make this Greek orzo salad gluten free, choice a gluten free orzo pasta OR use quinoa instead.

This recipe is already vegetarian, but to make it fully vegan simple omit the feta cheese or replace it with a vegan feta cheese. In my opinion, the fresh herbs are essential, but it you don’t have any you can always use dried!

How to make mediterranean orzo salad

Step 1: Make orzo pasta

To make this orzo pasta Salad add 1 container of Pacific Foods Low Sodium Vegetable Broth to a medium sauce pot and bring to a boil. Add 1lb of orzo to the pot and stir to combine.

Reduce to a simmer and cover the pot. Allow the mixture to simmer until the orzo absorbs the majority of the chicken broth. The orzo should be fully cooked at this point.

Drain any excess broth and immediately toss the orzo with the olive oil. Allow the orzo mixture to cool completely.

Step 2: prep veggies

While the orzo cools, prep the veggies. Chop cucumbers, cut tomatoes into quarters, cut olives in half and crumble the feta.

Zest the lemon and squeeze the juice out of it. Chop the fresh herbs into small pieces.

Step 3: toss it all together

Then, pour the cooked and cooled orzo into a large mixing bowl with the cucumber, tomatoes, olives, feta, fresh herbs, lemon juice, lemon zest and red wine vinegar. Toss to combine fully and serve!! Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Storage

Store this orzo salad with feta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You may want to stir to remix each time you eat it. To add a fresh flavor, squeeze extra lemon over top before serving.

Check out these other delicious Side Dish Recipes

• Green Beans Almondine
• Quinoa Chickpea Salad
• Herb and Mustard Potato Salad
• Strawberry Quinoa Salad

This post was originally sponsored by Pacific Foods. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own. It has since been updated with new images.

Recipe

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews

Make a delicious mediterranean orzo salad with feta cheese and fresh veggies!

Recipe By: Madeline

Prep: 5 minutesCook: 30 minutesTotal: 35 minutes

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Servings: 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

• 1 cup orzo
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium cucumber
• 4oz cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives
• 4oz feta cheese
• 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped dill
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a medium sized sauce pan. Pour orzo into the boiling water and stir. Reduce to a simmer.
2. Simmer uncovered until the orzo is cooked through and most of the vegetable broth has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Drain any excess broth and immediately toss the orzo in the olive oil.
3. Allow the orzo to cool completely. Prep the veggies while the orzo cools. Chop cucumber, cut tomatoes into quarters, cut olives in half and crumble the feta.
4. Zest the lemon and squeeze 2 tbsp of lemon juice out of it after zesting. Chop the fresh herbs.
5. Pour cooled orzo into a large mixing bowl with the chopped veggies, feta, lemon juice, lemon zest, red wine vinegar and fresh herbs. Toss to combine completely. 
6. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

• store in the fridge for up to 4 days
• use gluten free orzo or quinoa to make this gluten free
• omit feta or use a plant based feta to make this vegan
• use a different vinegar if you need to

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.