Mediterranean Orzo Salad

This Mediterranean Orzo Salad is a bite full of fresh flavors that’s easy to prepare in less than 30 minutes. We love to serve it as a side dish or main course and it’s also perfect to make in advance. It’s a recipe our family and friends ask for on repeat.

We love a good pasta salad, I mean what’s better? This Mediterranean Pasta Salad is our favorite recipe to make when the weather begins to warm up. With just a pot and a bowl, you can have this salad on the table as a side dish or main course in less than 30 minutes. It’s that easy and tastes incredibly gourmet.

We began making this orzo pasta salad for Memorial Day several years ago and now our friends expect it to be on the menu year after year. We love that it uses mainly pantry staple ingredients and is also so easy to customize. Plus, we usually make it a day in advance or the morning we’re planning to serve since it holds so well.

When we were originally developing this salad recipe, we thought it would be fun to try it with halloumi cheese since it can be griddled and also acts like a protein. Turns out, it’s so delicious. You could always swap feta or mozzarella if you prefer.

If you love a great salad then be sure to also try our Green Goddess Salad and Couscous Halloumi Salad.

Ab’s Tip: You can serve this Greek orzo salad warm or cold, we love it both ways! Serve it as a side dish or add another protein to make it a main course.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• A salad with all the Mediterranean flavors. From halloumi to sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and pine nuts, every bite is a flavor explosion. Feel free to customize this salad with other Greek-inspired herbs and spices like dill or coriander.
• Perfect to prep in advance. Whether it’s for a party or just weekly meal prep, this is a salad that works for all. The flavors just get better with time as it sits in the fridge.
• Serve as a side dish or main course. This is one of those pasta salads that just works well for lunch or dinner, I’ve even eaten it as a snack. You can add a protein or keep it as is.

Ingredients

Salad:

• Orzo pasta: Quick cooking pasta that soaked up all the dressings and flavors perfectly.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: You can buy these packed in oil or just dried in a bag. If you buy them packed in oil, be sure to drain the oil before chopping.
• Kalamata olives: Add brininess and a punch of flavor. Be sure to buy pitted.
• Halloumi cheese: We love this cheese for it’s mild flavor, plus it can be griddled until golden brown for extra delicious flavor! You can swap this for feta if you prefer, but just crumble the cheese in that case rather than griddle.
• Cherry tomatoes: Add a punch of delicious vegetable sweetness.
• Kale, Swiss chard or spinach: Whichever is in season at the time. Our pro tip if you use kale or Swiss chard, is to add a little olive oil and massage before adding into the salad to make it a little more tender.
• Pine nuts: Rich and buttery in flavor and even better when lightly toasted.
• Parmesan cheese: Adds the salty, cheesy flavor to every bite.
• Olive oil: Be sure to buy a good quality oil here, the flavor is so important.

Dressing:

• Olive oil: The fat that brings the dressing together.
• Balsamic vinegar: Gives a rich, acidic flavor to the dressing.
• Squeeze of lemon: Make sure to squeeze it fresh, this brightens all of the flavors.
• Yogurt: We add just a tablespoon to add a hint of creaminess.

How to Make Mediterranean Orzo Salad

1. Cook orzo to box instructions and add to a large bowl along with olive oil to keep it from sticking together.

2. Cook halloumi in a skillet for 3-4 min per side or until browned. Add olives, tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, greens and halloumi to the bowl with the orzo.

3. Add pine nuts to a pan and move around continuously until nicely browned and toasted.

4. Add dressing ingredients to a bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy.

5. Pour over salad and then top with pine nuts and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Expert Tips

• Toss the orzo with the dressing while it’s still warm to help it soak up all of the flavors. This is a tip we learned from a chef friend, you definitely need to give it a try. If you toss the pasta while it’s warm with the dressing, it actually infuses the pasta with the ingredients making it insanely flavorful.
• Lightly toast the pine nuts but don’t burn. If you toast them just until they are golden, this really brings out their flavor to make them nutty and rich.
• If you are using a stiffer green like kale, massage it until tender before adding to the salad. Massaging the greens means to add a tablespoon of olive oil and actually massage it with your hands to help break the greens down a bit to make them more tender to the bite.
• Add another protein if desired. We love adding shredded chicken or even chickpeas to this Mediterranean orzo salad to make it even more hearty.

Storage and Make Ahead

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. We usually like to let it sit out for 15 minutes or so to take the chill off and toss it with a tablespoon of olive oil before serving.

We don’t recommend freezing this Mediterranean salad with orzo. But if you want to make it ahead, it’s actually ideal! Maybe even preferred. The flavors will get better with time, making each bite insanely delicious.

FAQs

More Delicious Salad Recipes

• Easy Bean Salad
• Kale and Wild Rice Salad
• Salmon Pesto Pasta Salad
• Buffalo Chicken Salad