Robin and Ed are a DIY-loving couple with over 20 years of design and build experience. Also, Robin is a Nutritionist and former Registered Dietitian and Ed is an award-winning Business Educator. We share strategies for living a rich life on a DIY budget: creative money-savvy ideas for a stylish home, healthy meals and family fun. Our work has been published in the pages of Do It Yourself, Farmhouse Style and Better Homes & Gardens magazines.
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We’re here today with a Mediterranean-inspired lemon feta orzo salad. But first, a tribute to the humble pasta salad. Because this salad has earned a worthy spot on our very popular collection of 20+ Make Ahead Salad Recipes that Keep Well for Days!
Recently I was reminded of the virtues that humble pasta salad possesses. It is summer here and we were visiting friends for a BBQ and as part of the spread, a pasta salad appeared. I really enjoy pasta salads, but they are often a second choice whenever I have a chance to either make or consume them. On this occasion, I dug in. And went back for seconds. (Ok. I had thirds.)
How did pasta salads slip so far down my tier list of side dishes? They are low-key amazing and perfect for so many reasons:
- They make ahead really well and refrigerate for days
- The pasta absorbs the flavours in the dressing and stands up as its own, delicious ingredient
- They are hearty and filling -great for a crowd, a potluck or a BBQ
- This heartiness also makes the leftovers great to pack for lunch or have on hand whenever they are needed.
- They are also pretty budget-friendly (we like that sort of thing around here)
Now that we have established pasta salad’s credentials, let’s talk about this easy Lemon Feta Orzo salad (because yes, orzo is pasta! Ed was floored to learn this. Yes. He is easily floored).
The Meditteranean influences are strong here – oregano, olives, cucumber – basically the whole ingredient list is a tour of Greece. Most of the fresh veggies are all in season in mid-to-late summer too. These flavours are tried and true and play deliciously together. They also complement many grilled meats like chicken or burgers, but easily stand-alone if you want to provide options for vegetarians.
If you want to make this salad ahead of time, you can hold back on the cucumber and spinach and toss those in ahead of serving. Everything else keeps well in the fridge and as mentioned above, the orzo pasta will absorb the lemon tanginess and other flavours while it waits.
And even if it isn’t summer on your back patio, this salad is great year-round. Pasta is always a comfort food and paring it with veggies and fresh flavours is like a mini-vacation when the weather doesn’t allow for getting outdoors or together with friends.
So if you, like us, have been sleeping on pasta salads lately, give this Mediterranean lemon feta orzo creation a shot. You won’t be disappointed.
Easy Mediterranean Lemon Feta Orzo Salad
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
1lb orzo, cooked
3 cups baby spinach
1 Bell pepper, diced
1 cup cucumber, diced
1 red onion, diced
4 ounces pitted kalamata olives, halved
7 ounces feta cheese, cubed
1/2 cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper.
Directions:
Rinse with cold water to speed up cooling.
Refrigerate until cool.
Delicious & Easy Lemon Feta Orzo Salad
This lemon feta orzo salad is perfect for a summertime BBQ or as a year-round fresh side dish. Make ahead and budget-friendly, this Mediterranean-inspired salad keeps well for days and is a real crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- 1 lb orzo, cooked
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1 Bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 4 ounces pitted kalamata olives, halved
- 7 ounces feta cheese, cubed
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the orzo according to package instructions. Rinse with cold water to speed up cooling. Refrigerate until cool.
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl and toss to combine until all ingredients are fully coated with the dressing.
- Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 392Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 526mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 7g