Ingredients
1 cup orzo pasta (uncooked)
1 large English cucumber, finely diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
½ small red onion, thinly sliced or minced
1 large bell pepper (any color), finely diced
½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook according to package directions until al dente (about 8-10 minutes). Drain in a colander and rinse immediately under cold water to stop cooking and remove excess starch. Drain well.
2. While orzo cooks, prepare vegetables: dice cucumber, halve tomatoes, dice bell pepper, slice red onion, halve olives, and chop parsley. Place all prepared vegetables and olives in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a small bowl or jar, combine olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, oregano, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk or shake until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Add cooled orzo to the bowl with vegetables. Pour dressing over and toss gently to combine.
5. Stir in crumbled feta and chopped parsley.
6. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight) to let flavors meld. Toss again before serving.
Notes
For best flavor, refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. If salad seems dry after chilling, add a splash of lemon juice or olive oil. To mellow red onion’s bite, rinse sliced onion under cold water before adding. Gluten-free: use gluten-free orzo or quinoa. Add protein: grilled chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: about 1 cup
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 15mg