This vegetarian Mediterranean orzo pasta salad with crunchy vegetables and spinach, briny olives, and feta cheese makes a healthy, easy-to-make, meal-prepped meal or flavorful pasta salad side.
1. Mediterranean Orzo Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces orzo
- 3 cups baby spinach leaves , gently torn into large pieces
- 1 ½ chopped red bell pepper , about one red bell pepper
- 1 cup cucumber , diced and seeded, about one medium
- ¾ cup red onion , diced
- 5 ounces Castelvetrano green olives , drained and halved
- 5 ounces Kalamata pitted olives , drained and halved
- 7 ounces feta cheese
- ½ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 lemon , juiced
- 1 ½ teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Bring a pot of water to a boil, season with salt, and cook the orzo for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse, and set aside to cool.
Transfer the cooled orzo to a large mixing bowl. Add the spinach, chopped vegetables, and olives, then crumble half of the feta cheese over the pasta.
In a small bowl, whisk the canola oil, olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and salt and pepper until mixed. Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta mixture and gently fold until the pasta and veggies are coated. Taste for seasoning and top with the remaining feta cheese.
Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight before serving. The pasta is best within 2-3 days, but will last in the refrigerator up to 1 week.
It’s time to skip the deli case and make this salad at home. This cold orzo pasta salad uses ingredients you can easily keep stocked in your fridge and pantry, especially if you’re into healthier eating.
