Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Spinach and Feta
Quick, easy, and oh so delicious, this Mediterranean Orzo Salad is packed with fresh vegetables and tossed in a light lemon dressing. Delish!
Servings 6 servings
Calories 364kcal
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 Facts below are estimated for both salad and dressing using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 191mg | Potassium: 559mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 641IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 3mg
