The kids and I have been watching Luca on repeat and I’m letting the movie’s Italian Riveria setting take me AWAY! Is it weird that a plate of animated pasta can make me drool?
Don’t answer that question.
Anyway, the seaside village where the story takes place reminds me so much of the town Ben and I stayed in during our Amalfi Coast adventure exactly 14 lifetimes ago, with ancient stone steps, crashing coast lines, and fig, lemon, and olive trees dripping with ripe fruit. Literally Ben almost got nailed in the head by a lemon dropping off a tree in the courtyard of our hotel.
The memory (of Italy, not the head injury) inspired me to share this gorgeous side dish recipe that’s filled with the flavors of the Mediterranean – Mediterranean Orzo Salad!
This simple yet memorable orzo-based side dish recipe is packed with fresh and zesty flavors from tomatoes, kalamata olives, feta cheese, capers, and fresh parsley, dressed in a zingy Lemon Dressing. It’s great warm or cold and perfect for serving with a grilled dinner, or taking to a cookout, party, or potluck. Honestly I would just plan on doubling the recipe because you’ll eat half of it out of the mixing bowl – it is so, so good. Simple yet incredible. Let’s do this!
How to Make Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Start by cooking gluten free orzo (or regular orzo if you don’t need to eat GF) in salted, boiling water until al dente then drain and cool slightly.
Orzo is pasta that looks like rice and is so much fun to use in soups and side dishes like this one. I’ve actually never found gluten free orzo in the grocery store, so I order mine online.
While the pasta is cooking, add all the Mediterranean-inspired toppings into a mixing bowl. We’ve got:
- Grape or cherry tomatoes
- Kalamata Olives (Mezzetta brand is GF)
- Capers (Mezzetta brand is GF)
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Chopped parsley
Next, shake up the bright and tangy Lemon Dressing that will dress the orzo salad. To a mason jar with a tight fitting lid, add fresh lemon juice, garlic, honey, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper then shake to combine.
Lastly, add the slightly cooled orzo to the mixing bowl then drizzle with enough dressing to coat and stir to combine. You can absolutely eat this orzo salad warm – it’s actually reeeeally delicious this way! – but I usually stick it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to give all the flavors a chance to meld.
That’s all she wrote! This easy pasta salad recipe is not only absolutely gorgeous but absolutely DELICIOUS! I know you’ll just gobble it up. Enjoy, enjoy!
More Fresh Side Dish Recipes
- Sesame Noodle Salad
- Napa Sweet Corn Salad
- Cucumber and Tomato Salad
- Sweet Corn Caprese Salad
- The BEST Pasta Salad
- Marinated Vegetable Salad
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Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Description
Mediterranean Orzo Salad is a simple vegetarian side dish recipe that's packed with fresh and zesty flavors.
Ingredients
- 6oz dry gluten free or regular orzo pasta
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 2 Tablespoons gluten free capers, drained
- For the Lemon Dressing:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, microplaned or finely minced
- salt and pepper
Directions
- Boil pasta according to package directions then drain and set aside to cool slightly.
- For the Lemon Dressing: combine ingredients in a mason jar with a tight fitting lid then shake to combine. Alternatively, you can add lemon juice, salt, pepper, honey and garlic to a food processor then process while slowly drizzling in olive oil. Set aside.
- Add slightly cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl with tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, parsley, and capers. Drizzle on enough dressing to coat then toss to combine. Chill for 10-15 minutes before serving then add additional dressing if desired.
- Leave a comment and star rating if you loved the recipe! Thank you for considering!
Notes
- This recipe was updated on 6/25/21. The original version had 1-1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes so feel free to add more to this updated recipe to your liking.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
I usually double the recipe and eat it throughout the week. Gets better and better
Love this but replace parsley with fresh basil!
[…] The Mediterranean Orzo Salad will put any dinner party on the map! It is light, refreshing, and packed with flavour. Featuring kalamata olives, cherry (or grape) tomatoes, and feta cheese; it looks as good as it tastes. Did we mention that it’s both vegetarian and gluten free? Even better, this dish can be prepared ahead of time, keeping its great texture even when stored overnight. […]
How many servings does the Mediterranean orzo salad recipe make?
This recipe is delicious!! I love olives and feta, so I added more than what the recipe called for and it was perfect for me. My lemon was a little strong so I used some stevia to level it out. So so good.
How many servings does this recipe yield?
[…] Recipe: iowagirleats.com […]
Am making this for a pot luck this week. Any idea on the yield for this recipe? I need to scale it up to at least 20 servings.
Nevermind. I saw this answered in the comments. ?
I love this recipe! It is my go-to for any potluck or summer barbecue. Always a hit!
I’m so glad you love it, Faith! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Where can I buy gluten free orzo
Delallo has a great GF orzo – it’s rare to find in stores where I live, but here’s a link to them online:
Well, here it is 7-20-18, and I just made this salad. I added a little more honey because it was a little too tart for me, but other than that I think it’s delicious. I always test a recipe before I make it for other people. This is definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing.
Your Mediterranean Orzo salad is great. I used the dressing for a double
recipe and did not add salt to the dressing, With the high sodium level of the feta, olives and capers the extra salt in the dressing was not necessary. I also only used one fresh garlic for a double recipe and it was plenty. I will make this often
I’m so glad to hear it, Vicki!
This orzo salad is amazing! I’ve made it 3 times now and it keeps getting better! I added some peeled chopped cucumber and artichoke hearts – really yummy. This is my new go-to summer salad ? Thanks!!
I’m so glad you loved it, Christina, and I love the add ins too! Thanks so much for your feedback and recipe rating. :)
[…] Mediterranean chicken pasta salad (I use rotisserie chicken or salami in a pinch!) […]
[…] I baked some Parmesan Encrusted Tilapia from the freezer section at Sam’s and mixed up this Mediterranean Orzo Salad by one of my favorite food bloggers, Iowa Girl Eats. (Full Disclosure: I substituted regular […]
I am taking to a potluck tomorrow. Should I put it all together the day before or that morning?
how many people does the orzo salad serve?
This is yummy, i made it with gluten free elbow macaroni because i had 6 boxes in the pantry ad added more cheese thanks so good!
Made the Mediterranean orzo salad absolutely delicious
[…] Mediterranean Orzo Salad (with modifications) […]