Quick, easy, and oh so delicious, this Mediterranean Orzo Salad is packed with fresh vegetables and tossed in a light lemon dressing.
How much orzo is too much orzo?
#ASKINGFORAFRIEND
But seriously though, am I alone in my orzo obsession or are y’all still team orzo and scarfing it alongside me? It’s my pasta of choice these days and I just love its shape, texture and speedy cook time!
It’s fantastic in everything from soups to pasta salad and a little garlic and parmesan cheese turn it into a rockstar side dish that is totally crave-worthy!
If you’re still with me on this, then get excited! Today we’re letting spinach and feta in on the fun plus some fresh vegetables, creamy white beans, and the most irresistible dressing.
I’m so excited for y’all to try this dish!
Orzo Salad Ingredients
This vibrant veggie orzo salad is so easy to customize!
For the greens you can use fresh spinach, kale, or arugula and also feel free to add pickled banana peppers, chopped artichoke hearts, bell pepper, sweet corn and/or olives to the mix. Choose your favorites and let your taste buds be your guide!
Here’s what I used this time around:
- 8 ounces orzo pasta
- 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber (approx 1/3 of a whole cucumber)
- 1/4-1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 cup fresh chopped baby spinach or arugula
- 1/4-1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- optional fresh herbs to garnish (I used thyme, basil, and parsley)
- lemon dressing (recipe below and in recipe card)
Light Lemon Dressing
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, freshly zested and juiced
- 1 TBSP white wine vinegar (or white balsamic vinegar)
- 1 clove fresh garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
- 1-2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2-3/4 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For a zippier dressing feel free to add additional vinegar and/or lemon zest. The honey helps balance the flavors and can be left out if you’re a fan of lightly tart dressing. I love it both ways!
Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Spinach and Feta
Making this Mediterranean-inspired orzo salad couldn’t be easier!
Whisk together dressing ingredients in a small bowl, then add the red onion to marinate while the orzo cooks. This helps cut some of the sharp red onion flavor. You can also soak the sliced red onion in cold water to nix the “bite” of the onion. Both methods work great though I typically opt for marinating my onion in the dressing. Love it so!
Cook orzo in a pot water with a pinch of salt until al dente, approx 7-9 minutes. While the orzo cooks, chop the remaining veggies and drain and rinse canned white beans.
Once the ingredients are prepped and the orzo is drained and rinsed – combine all ingredients and mix well to coat. This salad can be enjoyed at room temperature or chilled for 20 minutes before serving.
MAKE AHEAD + ADVANCE PREP TIP
If chilling your salad first, mix in the spinach or arugula just before serving to prevent wilting. If using chopped kale you can add it at any time – it’s perfect for make-ahead salads because it doesn’t wilt and tastes amazing the next day!
Ready to rock your plate with this crazy colorful pasta salad? Here’s the easy-print recipe card:
Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Spinach and Feta
Ingredients
- 8 oz uncooked orzo
- 15 oz canned cannellini beans (1 can) drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
- 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber (approx. ¼-½ cucumber)
- ¼-½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/4-1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- fresh herbs for garnish + flavor (I used thyme, basil, and parsley)
- 1-2 cups fresh chopped baby spinach or arugula or kale
LEMON DRESSING
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 1 TBSP white wine vinegar or white balsamic vin
- 1 clove fresh garlic (peeled, smashed, and minced)
- 1-2 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½-¾ tsp honey
- ¼ tsp dried oregano leaves
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- First make the dressing. Zest the lemon until you have 1 tsp lemon zest then juice the lemon. Add the juice and zest to a small bowl then add remaining dressing ingredients and whisk well. Add the red onion to the bowl to marinate in the dressing and set aside.
- Cook orzo in a pot water per package instructions with a pinch of salt. Cook until al dente, approx 7-9 minutes. While the orzo cooks, chop the remaining veggies then drain and rinse canned white beans.
- Once the ingredients are prepped and the orzo is drained and rinsed – combine pasta with white beans, tomatoes, cucumber, feta, fresh herbs, red onion and dressing and mix well to coat. Add the spinach just before serving. This salad can be enjoyed at room temperature or chilled for 20 minutes before serving.
- If chilling your salad first, mix in the spinach or arugula just before serving to prevent wilting. If using chopped kale you can add it at any time. Kale is perfect for make-ahead salads because it doesn’t wilt and tastes amazing the next day!
- Give the salad a taste and feel free to add extra salt and pepper to taste. For a zippier salad, additional vinegar or lemon zest can be added to the mix. Let your taste buds be your guide.
Notes
Nutrition
If you get a chance to try this mediterranean inspired orzo salad recipe, let me know! You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
Questions & Reviews
delish!! easy to put together, love it, thanks for sharing!
Stoked you enjoyed it! Thanks Ellen!