Mediterranean Orzo Salad
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Orzo cooked till just tender then tossed cold with crunchy cucumbers, sweet cherry tomatoes swapped for sun-dried, and salty feta replaced by crumbly goat cheese. Fresh basil swapped for mint gives a twist. Dressing with lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and a splash of white wine vinegar. Chilling brings flavors together but can serve room temp too. Textures pop, colors vivid. Quick mix, no fuss. Adapt with spiral pasta if no orzo. Watch pasta closely to avoid mush. Dressing keeps separately for fresher bites. Mint brightens and lifts instead of heavy feta salinity. Crunchy, tangy, herbaceous salad for summer or anytime really. Great side, stand alone lunch, or potluck star. Learned to rinse orzo cold right after cooking to stop cooking, save texture every time. Tangy lemon punch, savory garlic aroma, splash of oil slicks through chunks. Simple, bold, manipulating components for balance.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
13 min
Total:
25 min
Servings:
8 servings
#Mediterranean
#salad
#orzo
#goat cheese
#mint
#easy
#summer
#quick
#vegetarian
Stumbled on this salad in a mad rush summer afternoon, staring at the hole where feta should be. Swap in goat cheese for that creamy tang but less salt. Tosses quick, looks great; colors screaming freshness. Orzo cooks fast but don’t trust times blindly—keep tasting, feeling that bite. Rinsing orzo changed the game; texture’s just right, no clumpy mush. Tried basil first, but mint blew doors off, lifted whole bowl to light bright. Dressing’s sharp, lemon hits, garlic warms air, oil slicks coat every nook. Chill if you got time, but it’s good straight away, especially with extra dressing on side. Cucumber snap, tomato sweetness, olive saltiness; layered, no boring bites here. Learned the hard way: sun-dried tomatoes rehydrated or from oil-packed make whole difference. Herbs last minute or wilt disaster. Simple tweaks turn ordinary to noteworthy.
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups orzo pasta
- 1 medium English cucumber diced
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped, packed in oil
- 3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (instead of feta)
- 1/3 cup kalamata olives pitted and sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves chopped (instead of basil)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- For dressing
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 medium garlic clove minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
About the ingredients
Orzo or similar small pasta essential; small shells if no orzo. Taste tests during pasta cooking beats relying on box time. Rinse drained pasta with cold water quickly to halt cooking and remove starch surface. Sun-dried tomatoes best packed in oil for flavor intensity; if dry, soak in warm water 10 minutes and drain thoroughly to prevent watery salad. Goat cheese swap for traditional feta cuts saltiness without losing tangy punch. Mediterranean olives—kalamata or black—add salt and smoky depth. Fresh mint replaces basil for brighter herbal note and unexpected twist. Fresh parsley rounds flavors with subtle earthiness. Dressings need balance—acid, oil, garlic—emulsify well. Adjust salt carefully, remember cheeses and olives add saltiness. Keep herbs and crumbly cheese separate if making ahead to maintain texture and color. Reserve some dressing for serving or dressing fresh to avoid sogginess.
Method
Cook orzo
- Bring salted water to full boil, add orzo stirred constantly for even cook. Look for al dente—still a bite but not chalky. Usually 8-10 minutes but smell nutty aroma and feel slight resistance under teeth. Drain immediately in fine sieve.
- Rinse under cold tap fast to halt cooking. Drain well, shake dry. Set aside in bowl to cool to room temp.
Combine salad
- Add diced cucumber, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, red onion, crumbled goat cheese, chopped mint and parsley directly to cooled orzo. Toss gently but thoroughly.
Make dressing
- In small bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Whisk till emulsified and pale yellow sheen appears. Garlic should be evenly distributed for balanced punch. Taste adjust salt or lemon as needed.
Dress salad
- Pour dressing over orzo mixture. Toss completely so every piece coated. Don’t overdress or it gets soggy. Save some dressing on side if making ahead for freshness punch later.
- Chill salad minimum 30 minutes for flavors to meld but it can serve room temp anytime.
- Garnish last minute with fresh mint leaves for extra aroma and vibrant color.
Tips
- If no orzo, use small shells or small elbow pasta. Rinsing crucial to stop overcooking and clumping. Use goat cheese for tang, substitute with ricotta salata or queso fresco if unavailable. Add toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds for crunch twist.
- If salad too dry after chilling, drizzle extra olive oil and toss lightly just before serving.
- Adjust garlic amount based on preference. Reserve chopped herbs separately to toss just before serving if worried about wilt.
- Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil avoid soaking—if dry ones, rehydrate in warm water 10 minutes and drain thoroughly. Avoid excess liquid in salad.
Cooking tips
Start boiling salted water, don’t under-salt or pasta tastes flat. Add orzo; stir often first 2 minutes to avoid sticking. Taste frequently after 7 minutes, chew for slight resistance, nutty aroma lets you know it’s near perfect. Drain immediately, rinse under cold water thoroughly but quickly to stop cooking and cool pasta; no residual heat ruining texture. Shake pasta dry or spread on flat tray while prepping salad ingredients for efficiency. Combine orzo with raw chopped cucumber, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, onions, goat cheese, chopped mint and parsley right after orzo cools—warm pasta wilts herbs otherwise. Whisk dressing—oil, lemon, white wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper—till emulsified, smell sharp garlic aroma but balanced acid-oil sheen. Toss dressing gently with salad until even coating; avoid overdressing to prevent soggy salad. Chill salad minimum 30 minutes to let flavors marry and textures firm up but salad is also good room temp if in hurry. Garnish with fresh mint leaves just before serving for added freshness and color pop. Keep some dressing aside if making ahead for re-toss fresh flavor boost while serving.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Rinse orzo fast after boiling. Stops cooking dead in tracks. Keeps edges firm not mush. Taste every minute around 8 to catch nutty aroma. Pasta timing shifts with brand. Stir first 2 minutes so no clumps form. Drain close to done or pasta turns chalky later.
- 💡 Use goat cheese instead of feta but crumbly not creamy. Keeps tang with less salt punch. Substitute with ricotta salata or queso fresco if hard to find. Keeps salad earthy not overwhelming. Olives add salty depth. Chop herbs last after pasta cools, warm pasta wilts. Mint not basil—brightens sharpness, lifts whole bowl.
- 💡 Sun-dried tomatoes? Oil-packed best. Dry ones soak 10 minutes warm water then drain well. Otherwise, salad gets watery fast. Mixing dressing separate helps control saturation. Save extra dressing on side for freshness. Toss lightly to coat. Don’t overdress or loses crunch and firmness.
- 💡 If no orzo, small shells or elbow pasta works but cook time changes. Pasta small, uniformly sized. Rinsing removes starch surface keeps pieces distinct, no gummy clumps. Toss herbs right before serving if worried about wilt. Garlic amount tweak by taste; fresh minced gives punch but can overpower.
- 💡 Add crunch with pine nuts or slivered almonds toasted lightly. If salad dries after fridge time, drizzle olive oil and toss gently before serving. Flavors meld with chilling but salad serves well room temp. Garnish last minute with fresh mint leaves for aroma burst and color pop, keeps fresh.
Common questions
How do I know orzo is done?
Nutty aroma, slight resistance to bite. Not chalky but still firm. Taste test after 7 minutes. Drains fast once hits target. Smell changes subtle but present. Stir first two minutes to prevent stickiness.
Can I use basil instead of mint?
Yes but mint brightens herbs more, basil softens. Mint lifts, sharpens. Basil gives mellow but can let salad feel heavier. Either fresh. Swap depends on mood and what’s on hand.
What if salad is too dry after chilling?
Drizzle extra olive oil, toss lightly right before serving. Dressing can be saved aside and mixed fresh. Prevents sogginess and brings back coat when flavors settle over time.
How to store leftovers?
Airtight container in fridge. Keep dressing separate if possible. Herbs and goat cheese separate best. Keeps textures distinct, colors vivid. Touch up dressing when serving again if needed.
