Mediterranean Orzo Salad
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This healthy mediterranean orzo salad is loaded with sun-dried tomatoes, cucumber, olives and feta cheese. It’s fresh, easy and the perfect make-ahead recipe for a light meal or summer potluck.
Oh my goodness, I’ve found the perfect side salad for summer cookouts, barbecues or backyard dinners. It’s a hearty, healthy Mediterranean orzo salad with cannellini beans, olives, feta and sun-dried tomatoes.
I love the fact that it’s super flavorful and delicious, but also loaded with nutrient-rich toppings. Most pasta salads aren’t the healthiest, but this salad actually does a good job of packing a ton of nutrition into one dish!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Full of flavor – Between the sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese, olives and homemade dressing this salad is jam-packed with flavor!
- Versatile – Enjoy this salad as a light lunch, topped with protein for dinner or bring it to your next potluck or summer cookout. Everyone will love it!
- Filling and refreshing – The orzo and beans make this salad filling while the fresh veggies add a refreshing crunch.
// ★★★★★ Review //
“This salad is beyond delicious! I meal prepped it for lunch one week and loved it so much I made it for the next week too. It’s really satisfying- especially when I am craving carbs. It’s part of my regular rotation now. So happy I found the recipe!” – Allie
Ingredients Needed
- orzo pasta – orzo looks kind of like rice, but it’s actually pasta! It is made from wheat so steer clear if you have a gluten intolerance or allergy. I like to buy whole wheat orzo because it contains more fiber than regular, but regular orzo works perfectly for this recipe.
- baby spinach – baby spinach has a mild flavor and texture that works perfectly in this orzo salad.
- sun-dried tomatoes – these are a must! They add a ton of flavor.
- cucumber – for some added crunch.
- Kalamata olives – make sure you’re buying pitted olives so you can easily chop them up.
- cannellini beans – the perfect ingredient to add bulk protein. I used canned cannellini beans but you can cook your own if you want. Feel free to swap the cannellini beans with chickpeas or another white bean of choice.
- dried oregano, salt and black pepper – to really bring all the flavors together!
- feta cheese – this adds such a good flavor to the salad so I wouldn’t recommend omitting it. If needed you can use a vegan feta.
- balsamic dressing – a super simple dressing made with balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, garlic, sea salt, and olive oil.
Recipe Variations
- Dairy-free: Use a vegan feta cheese like the Follow Your Heart dairy-free feta crumbles.
- Gluten-free: If you need this recipe to be gluten-free swap the orzo with quinoa.
- Add more protein: For more protein top this salad with grilled chicken.
- Add avocado: Want to add a little creaminess and healthy fat to this salad? Add in some chopped avocado!
- Swap the dressing: I love the balsamic dressing paired with this salad but any dressing would work if you’re in a pinch. Some options: Greek salad dressing, white balsamic vinaigrette or lemon vinaigrette.
How to Make Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Once your orzo is cooked and veggies are chopped this salad comes together in a matter of minutes. Here’s how to make it:
Step 1: Boil water in a saucepan and cook orzo for 8-10 minutes until tender. Drain, rinse under cold water to cool, then drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
Step 2: Make the dressing by blending or whisking all the ingredients together until smooth.
Step 3: To the orzo, add spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, beans and oregano. Toss to mix. Pour half of the dressing over the salad, toss, then add more to taste. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
Step 4: Serve the salad at room temperature, topped with feta cheese. Enjoy!
Brittany’s Tips
A few simple tips to make this Mediterranean orzo salad taste even better (and make your prep a little easier too!):
- Cook your orzo al dente: Slightly firm orzo holds up better in salads and soaks up the dressing without getting soggy.
- Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes: They’re softer and more flavorful. Just give them a quick chop and you’re good to go.
- Let it sit before serving: Once everything’s tossed with the dressing, give it 15–30 minutes to rest. The flavors really come together and the spinach softens just slightly.
Serving Suggestions
Honestly, this Mediterranean orzo salad pairs well with just about anything! It’s delicious on its own as a side or topped with protein, but it’s also the perfect side for summer cookouts and potlucks. Here are some pairing ideas:
How to Store Leftovers
To make it in advance: You can prep the salad the night before and let it chill in the fridge until serving. I recommend serving at room temperature.
To store leftovers: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional orzo is made from wheat, so it’s not gluten-free. That said, there are gluten-free orzo options available (usually made from corn or rice flour) if you need a GF version of this salad.
It’s best served cold or at room temperature. I recommend letting it chill for at least 15–30 minutes before serving so the flavors can really come together.
Yes! Cannellini beans are my go-to here, but chickpeas or great northern beans would work really well too.
More Salads Recipes
- Greek Quinoa Salad
- Healthy Pasta Salad
- Arugula Salad
- Mayo Free Potato Salad
- Easy Shirazi Salad
- Dense Bean Salad with Salami and Feta
Be sure to check out the full collection of salad recipes on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Easy Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked whole wheat or regular orzo pasta
- 4 ounces fresh baby spinach, chopped
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 10 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- ½ cup cannellini beans or other white bean
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- sea salt and black pepper, to tatste
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Balsamic Dressing
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 Tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add orzo and cook according to the package directions until just tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water until the pasta cools to room temp. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
- While orzo cooks make the dressing by using a blender or whisk to combine all ingredients.
- Add the spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, beans and oregano to the orzo and toss to combine.
- Add half of the balsamic dressing and toss again. Taste it and add more dressing if needed. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Serve at room temperature, sprinkled with feta.
Notes
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- Dairy-free: Use a vegan feta cheese like the Follow Your Heart dairy-free feta crumbles.
- Swap the dressing: I love the balsamic dressing paired with this salad but any dressing would work if you’re in a pinch. Some options: Greek salad dressing, white balsamic vinaigrette or lemon vinaigrette.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Love this recipe! Made it once for myself and it was so good, I decided to make it again for a potluck. It was a hit with my friends, too! I got lots of compliments and people assumed it took much more work than it actually did 🙂 I couldn’t find the orzo for some reason at my usual grocery store the first time I wanted to make it so I used pearl couscous and that also worked well, just in case that is helpful to know!
Made this tonight! Your salads are always so good! I will be making this again!
Yay!! I’m so glad you liked the orzo salad, Whitney!! Thanks for leaving a comment and the star rating.
luv orzo salads and i’ll have to try this one
I just made this salad last night thanks to your recipe! I made enough for a small army, so it will be a great lunch to grab for a week or two! Thank you for posting simple yet delicious recipes. I love things that are easy to make but also very different. It is also so helpful that you have this recipe tab because I remembered your post on this and it was easy to locate again. Keep them coming!
Hi! I just found your blog and I love it. I live in Richmond and am an organic freak 🙂 I am looking forward to seeing someone local post things about it!
I made this last night- turned out amazing! Thanks for the recipe : )
I love that quote and think that it is so true. I think your salad looks delicious and I am looking forward to trying it soon.
Mmmmmmm orzo salad :). I did a lemon orzo about a month ago and loved it, I’m definitely trying this one as well!
LOVE your dress! Such a vibrant, lively color and it looks wonderful on you. Also enjoyed your tribute to mothers and women 🙂
I made this for dinner last night. It was delicious and my husband totally loved it too.