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Home » Salads

Orzo salad with feta

Published: Mar 14, 2023 by Vandana Chauhan. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Orzo salad with feta and chickpeas is a Mediterranean-style vegetarian pasta salad. This picnic-perfect salad is packed with crunchy vegetables, creamy feta, chickpeas, and tossed in a simple homemade lemony dressing. This quick salad gets ready in just 20 minutes and is delicious!

Orzo feta salad in a bowl with a spoon.

Looking for easy yet delicious pasta salad recipes to try this summer? Try this Greek orzo salad with feta and chickpeas.

Bursting with flavors, this salad can be prepared in just 20 minutes from start to finish.

It's perfect for picnics and potlucks.

You can also enjoy this vegetarian orzo salad as a meal in itself.

Jump to:
  • What's orzo?
  • What's needed to make orzo feta salad?
  • Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
  • How to make (step by step process)?
  • How to serve?
  • How to store the leftovers?
  • Recipe tips and tricks
  • Frequently asked questions
  • More vegetarian Greek recipes
  • Recipe

What's orzo?

Orzo is a short-cut pasta that's shaped like rice grains. It's also known as risoni.

What's needed to make orzo feta salad?

To make Greek-style orzo pasta salad, you will need the ingredients shown below:

Ingredients for Greek orzo salad, labelled.
Ingredients required for Greek orzo salad recipe.

Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions

  • Orzo: Orzo is used to make this pasta salad. If you don't have that, use any other short-cut pasta to make this recipe.
  • Chickpeas: I used home-cooked chickpeas as I prefer their taste. You can use canned chickpeas too. Rinse canned chickpeas before using. You can also use other beans of your choice like cannellini beans or kidney beans.
  • Walnuts: Feel free to use any nut of choice like pine nuts or almonds.
  • Dill: I love using fresh dill in my Greek salads, you can also use fresh parsley, basil, or cilantro.
  • Feta cheese: Vegans may skip feta in this recipe. This salad tastes great even without feta.
  • Italian seasoning: If you don't have mixed Italian seasoning, mix red chili flakes, dried basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. Use this seasoning blend in the recipe.
  • Sweetener: Adding a sweetener balances all the flavors of the salad. I have used maple syrup, you can also add honey, agave syrup, or brown sugar.

How to make (step by step process)?

Collage of images of steps 1 to 4 of orzo feta salad recipe.
Steps 1 to 4 of orzo feta salad recipe.

Step 1: Cook orzo al dente as per the instructions given on its' packet.

Step 2: Strain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Allow the orzo to reach room temperature.

Step 3: Transfer to a large bowl.

Step 4: Prepare the salad dressing in a bowl by mixing lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, maple syrup, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning.

Collage of images of steps 5 to 8 of orzo feta salad recipe.
Steps 5 to 8 of orzo feta salad recipe.

Step 5: Put all the ingredients in a bowl.

Step 6: Pour salad dressing.

Step 7: Gently toss.

Step 8: Add crumbled feta cheese before serving.

Your lemony Greek-style orzo salad with feta and chickpeas is ready to be enjoyed!

Two bowls of Greek orzo pasta salad with a glass of water.

How to serve?

This Greek orzo feta salad can be served as a salad as well as a meal. It can be served warm or cold.

Some of the dishes that can be paired with it are gyros, grilled vegetables, roasted potatoes, grilled corn on the cob, sauteed green beans, sandwiches, burgers, and soup.

How to store the leftovers?

To store, refrigerate the leftover orzo salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Recipe tips and tricks

  • This salad can serve around 8 people if served as a side dish.  However, if you want to have it as a meal then it will serve around 4-5 people.
  • Cook orzo al dente. If you overcook the orzo, it will turn mushy in the salad.
  • Allow the pasta to reach room temperature before adding the herbs and vegetables otherwise they will get cooked. However, don't let it get cold completely as orzo will absorb the flavors better when still warm.
  • Add feta only before serving.
  • Toss pasta gently otherwise, it will break.
  • You can use any short pasta to make this recipe.

Frequently asked questions

Is orzo a grain?

No, orzo is not a grain, it's a type of short-cut pasta.

Can I use any other pasta in this recipe?

Yes, you can use any short-cut pasta to make this pasta.

More vegetarian Greek recipes

Looking for more easy vegetarian Greek recipes? Don't miss checking the following links:

  1. Watermelon feta salad
  2. Black-eyed peas and feta salad-Greek style
  3. Greek potato salad
  4. Tzatziki (Greek yogurt dip)
  5. Greek spaghetti
  6. Spanakorizo (Greek spinach rice)
  7. Revithosoupa (Greek chickpea soup)
  8. Fasolada (Greek white bean soup)
Close up shot of Mediterranean orzo salad with chickpeas and feta.

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Recipe

Close up shot of Greek orzo salad with feta.

Orzo salad with feta and chickpeas

Orzo salad with feta and chickpeas is a Mediterranean-style vegetarian pasta salad. This picnic-perfect salad is packed with crunchy vegetables, creamy feta, chickpeas, and tossed in a simple homemade lemony dressing. This quick salad gets ready in just 20 minutes and is delicious!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 284kcal
Author: Vandana Chauhan

Equipment

  • 1 Large mixing bowl
  • 1 large pot for cooking orzo
  • Strainer to strain cooked orzo

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups uncooked orzo around 250 grams
  • 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas around 250 grams
  • 1 medium-sized cucumber chopped
  • ½ bell pepper chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut into half
  • 1 small red onion chopped
  • 2-3 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ cup chopped dill
  • ¼ cup sliced kalamata olives
  • ¼ cup chopped walnut kernels
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice adjust to taste
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup honey or any other sweetener can be used too.
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 3 teaspoons blend of dried oregano, basil, and red chili flakes mixed in equal proportion
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper adjust to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Water to cook orzo

Instructions

  • Put water and some salt in a large cooking pot. Boil. Add orzo to the boiling water and cook as per the instructions given on its packet. Strain cooked orzo and rinse with cold water.
  • Prepare the salad dressing by mixing lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, maple syrup, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning in a bowl.
  • Put cooked orzo into a large salad bowl.
  • Add all the remaining ingredients except feta cheese.
  • Pour salad dressing and gently toss.
  • Add feta before serving and enjoy!

Video

Notes

  1. This salad can serve around 8 people if served as a side dish.  However, if you want to have it as a meal then it will serve around 4-5 people.
  2. Cook orzo al dente. If you overcook the orzo, it will turn mushy in the salad.
  3. Allow the pasta to reach room temperature before adding the herbs and vegetables otherwise they will get cooked. However, don't let it get cold completely as orzo will absorb the flavors better when still warm.
  4. Add feta only before serving.
  5. Toss pasta gently otherwise, it will break.
  6. You can use any short pasta to make this recipe.
  7. More recipe-related tips and tricks are shared in the post above, please follow them to make this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 523IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me on instagram #greenbowl2soul

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Hi! Thanks for stopping by my blog. My name is Vandana Chauhan and I am on a mission to explore vegan/ vegetarian recipes from around the world. I am delighted to welcome you to join me on this exciting journey.

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