Healthy Greek Orzo Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing

If you're in need of a make-ahead friendly Mediterranean side dish, look no further! You'll love this delicious, healthy Greek orzo pasta salad with homemade Greek dressing. Loaded with feta, veggies, chickpeas, olives and artichokes, it's always a crowd pleaser. (vegetarian, vegan option)

One of my favorite recipes on the blog that I make all the time is my Greek Chicken with Tzatziki. On the day I made the recipe to take photographs, I also made a Greek orzo salad that made it into the photos, too. I didn't think much about it until I started getting lots of messages and comments asking for the recipe for the side dish in the photos. So naturally, I had to get the recipe posted for you all to enjoy! (Note: I accidentally left the chickpeas out when I was photographing this recipe. I usually put them in. You can do either.)

Why You'll Love Greek Orzo Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is simply delicious. Loaded with all things Mediterranean - tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, olives, chickpeas, artichokes, and feta cheese - with a homemade Greek dressing, it's perfect to go with any and all Mediterranean inspired dinners or to eat by itself for an easy vegetarian lunch. This pasta salad is perfect for summer cookouts and weeknight dinners alike, and it's easy to make ahead so it's ready when you are. This healthy vegetarian dish is full of fiber, protein and healthy fat, so it's both nutritious and filling.

What Is Orzo?

Orzo is a pasta that is small and thin, almost shaped like rice. You cook it just like you would any other pasta. I use whole wheat orzo for extra fiber and taste, but you can use regular if you'd rather. You can find orzo next to the pasta.

How To Make Greek Orzo Pasta Salad

1. First cook the orzo by bringing 3 quarts of water and a generous pinch of salt to a boil in a pot. Add orzo and cook until al dente (a little bit firm but cooked). Orzo takes about 8-10 minutes. Drain the orzo and place it in a large bowl.
2. While orzo cooks, make the dressing. Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together in a bowl or measuring cup. Or, just add everything to a jar with a lid and shake it until combined.
3. Slice cucumbers into halves or quarters, thinly slice red onion, and halve cherry tomatoes and olives.
4. Add chopped veggies to the bowl with the orzo and add artichokes, feta, and chickpeas.
5. Pour in the dressing, starting with about ⅓ cup, and toss to coat. Add more dressing as needed.
6. Refrigerate, covered, until you're ready to serve.

Tips and Recipe Variations

• Use half water and half broth when boiling the orzo for more flavor. No need to add any oil when boiling.
• For gluten-free, use gluten-free orzo shaped pasta/rice, such as Banza 'rice' or Right Rice.
• The ingredients in this recipe are super flexible. Like I mentioned, sometimes I leave out the chickpeas (on accident) or use white beans. I don't love Kalamata olives so I usually use black olives. If you don't like something, leave it out.
• If you want the dressing to emulsify more than by whisking, blend it in the food processor or blender.
• For vegan option, omit feta cheese from the salad and the dressing.

Can This Pasta Salad Be Made In Advance?

YES! I recommend it, actually. That's the great thing about pasta salad. The flavors meld a little more after sitting in the fridge for a bit for a better taste. And it benefits from a little extra chill time. I usually make this pasta salad in the morning or around noon if I plan to serve it for dinner.

How Long Will It Last In The Refrigerator?

This pasta salad will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. That makes it great for meal prep! However, as it sits, it will soak up most of the dressing, so you may need to toss more dressing in after a couple of days.

What To Serve With Greek Orzo Pasta Salad

Like I mentioned, I love this orzo pasta salad with my Greek Chicken recipe. Here are a few other Mediterranean-inspired dishes to serve it with:

• Greek Lamb Souvlakis
• Mediterranean Veggie Hummus Grilled Cheese
• 3 Ingredient Hummus Chicken
• Sheet Pan Mediterranean Whitefish
• Oven Baked Chicken Caprese
• Mediterranean Chicken Kebabs

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!

Healthy Greek Orzo Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing

Print Recipe

If you're in need of a make-ahead friendly Mediterranean side dish, look no further! You'll love this delicious, healthy Greek orzo pasta salad with homemade Greek dressing. Loaded with feta, veggies, chickpeas, olives and artichokes, it's always a crowd pleaser. (vegetarian)

• Author: Kaleigh
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: about 8 cups 1x
• Category: side dish
• Method: stovetop
• Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 ½ cups dry orzo (I use whole wheat)
• 3 qts water
• Large pinch salt
• 1 cup sliced cucumbers (about half a large cucumber)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
• ⅓ cup kalamata olives
• ½ cup feta cheese crumbles
• ½ cup canned chickpeas, drained
• ½ cup canned artichoke quarters, drained
• ⅓ - ½ cup Greek Dressing

Instructions

1. Cook orzo by bringing 3 quarts of water and a generous pinch of salt to a boil in a pot. Add orzo and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain orzo and place it in a large bowl.
2. While orzo cooks, make the dressing. Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a bowl or measuring cup. Or add everything to a jar with a lid and shake it until combined.
3. Slice cucumbers into half moons or quarters, thinly slice red onion, and halve cherry tomatoes and olives.
4. Add chopped veggies to the bowl with the orzo and add artichokes, feta, and chickpeas.
5. Pour in dressing, starting with about ⅓ cup, and toss to coat. Add more dressing as needed.
6. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

Notes

• For vegan version, omit feta.
• Use half water and half broth when boiling the orzo for more flavor. No need to add any oil when boiling.
• For gluten-free, use gluten-free orzo shaped pasta/rice, such as Banza 'rice' or Right Rice.
• You can also use any small pasta shape you like.
• The ingredients in this recipe are super flexible. Like I mentioned, sometimes I leave out the chickpeas (on accident) or use white beans. I don't really like kalamata olives so I usually use black olives. If you don't like something, leave it out.
• If you want the dressing to emulsify more than by whisking, blend it in the food processor or blender.

Keywords: healthy orzo pasta salad, greek orzo pasta salad, healthy greek orzo salad