Mediterranean Orzo Salad
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Published Apr 11, 2024, Updated Jun 20, 2024
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This healthy mediterranean orzo salad is loaded with sun-dried tomatoes, cucumber, olives and feta cheese. It’s fresh, easy and the perfect make-ahead recipe for a light meal or summer potluck.
Oh my goodness, I’ve found the perfect side salad for summer cookouts, barbecues or backyard dinners. It’s a hearty, healthy mediterranean orzo salad with cannellini beans, olives, feta and sun-dried tomatoes.
I love the fact that it’s super flavorful and delicious, but also loaded with nutrient-rich toppings. Most pasta salads aren’t the healthiest, but this salad actually does a good job of packing a ton of nutrition into one dish!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Full of flavor – Between the sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese, olives and homemade dressing this salad is jam-packed with flavor!
- Versatile – Enjoy this salad as a light lunch, topped with protein for dinner or bring it to your next potluck or summer cookout. Everyone will love it!
- Filling and refreshing – The orzo and beans make this salad filling while the fresh veggies add a refreshing crunch.
// ★★★★★ Review //
“This salad is beyond delicious! I meal prepped it for lunch one week and loved it so much I made it for the next week too. It’s really satisfying- especially when I am craving carbs. It’s part of my regular rotation now. So happy I found the recipe!” – Allie
Ingredients Needed
- orzo pasta – orzo looks kind of like rice, but it’s actually pasta! It is made from wheat so steer clear if you have a gluten intolerance or allergy. I like to buy whole wheat orzo because it contains more fiber than regular, but regular orzo works perfectly for this recipe.
- baby spinach – baby spinach has a mild flavor and texture that works perfectly in this orzo salad.
- sun-dried tomatoes – these are a must! They add a ton of flavor.
- cucumber – for some added crunch.
- Kalamata olives – make sure you’re buying pitted olives so you can easily chop them up.
- cannellini beans – the perfect ingredient to add bulk protein. I used canned cannellini beans but you can cook your own if you want. Feel free to swap the cannellini beans with chickpeas or another white bean of choice.
- dried oregano, salt and black pepper – to really bring all the flavors together!
- feta cheese – this adds such a good flavor to the salad so I wouldn’t recommend omitting it. If needed you can use a vegan feta.
- balsamic dressing – a super simple dressing made with balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, garlic, sea salt, and olive oil.
Recipe Variations
- Dairy-free: Use a vegan feta cheese like the Follow Your Heart dairy-free feta crumbles.
- Gluten-free: If you need this recipe to be gluten-free swap the orzo with quinoa.
- Add more protein: For more protein top this salad with grilled chicken.
- Add avocado: Want to add a little creaminess and healthy fat to this salad? Add in some chopped avocado!
- Swap the dressing: I love the balsamic dressing paired with this salad but any dressing would work if you’re in a pinch. Some options: Greek salad dressing, white balsamic vinaigrette or lemon vinaigrette.
How to Make Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Once your orzo is cooked and veggies are chopped this salad comes together in a matter of minutes. Here’s how to make it:
Step 1: Boil water in a saucepan and cook orzo for 8-10 minutes until tender. Drain, rinse under cold water to cool, then drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
Step 2: Make the dressing by blending or whisking all the ingredients together until smooth.
Step 3: To the orzo, add spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, beans and oregano. Toss to mix. Pour half of the dressing over the salad, toss, then add more to taste. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
Step 4: Serve the salad at room temperature, topped with feta cheese. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Honestly, this mediterranean orzo salad pairs well with just about anything! It’s delicious on its own as a side or topped with protein, but it’s also the perfect side for summer cookouts and potlucks. Here are some pairing ideas:
- With protein: Add some extra protein to this salad by topping it with this air fryer chicken breast or apple cider vinegar chicken.
- As a side: Make these delicious turkey burgers as your main and serve this salad as a side! For a vegetarian option, make these black bean burgers instead.
How to Store Leftovers
To make it in advance: You can prep the salad the night before and let it chill in the fridge until serving. I recommend serving at room temperature.
To store leftovers: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
More Salads Recipes
- Greek Quinoa Salad
- Easy Quinoa Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Chicken Fajita Pasta Salad
- Lemon Orzo Salad
- Healthy Pasta Salad
- Arugula Salad
- Mayo Free Potato Salad
Be sure to check out the full collection of salad recipes on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Easy Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked whole wheat or regular orzo pasta
- 4 ounces fresh baby spinach, chopped
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 10 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- ½ cup cannellini beans or other white bean
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- sea salt and black pepper, to tatste
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Balsamic Dressing
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 Tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add orzo and cook according to the package directions until just tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water until the pasta cools to room temp. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
- While orzo cooks make the dressing by using a blender or whisk to combine all ingredients.
- Add the spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, beans and oregano to the orzo and toss to combine.
- Add half of the balsamic dressing and toss again. Taste it and add more dressing if needed. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Serve at room temperature, sprinkled with feta.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can the beans be canned kind or do I need to make them from the hard beans?
This recipe is absolutely delicious!! I made it this morning to go with your turkey zucchini boats for supper tonite. It won’t last long!!!
This looks refreshing and I look forward to making it. Where do you get whole wheat orzo from?
It is delicious! You can usually get whole whet orzo from most grocery stores, but if you aren’t able to find it, then Amazon definitely has it.
i made this Mediteranean Orzo Salad recipe last night.
Absolutely delicious and even my husband said how nice it was
Thank you
Cheers Marilyn
YUM! I am so glad you gave this recipe a try and you and your husband are loving it, Marilyn. Thank you for your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!