This easy Mediterranean Orzo Salad comes with wholesome ingredients such as spinach, bell peppers, greek olives, and dairy-free feta cheese. It takes just 20 minutes and is entirely vegan! Make this for your next picnic, or cookout. This recipe is great for your weekly meal prep too.
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This post is supported by GAEA but as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. A big thanks to the supporting brands that make The Simple Sprinkle possible.
💡 The recipe in a nutshell
- Vegan (no eggs & dairy-free)
- Easy orzo salad for a crowd
- 11 Ingredient salad
- Ready in just 20 minutes
- Summer salad perfect for picnics, potlucks and barbecues
- Great for meal prep
- Healthy, wholesome, and filling
- Can be made gluten-free
📋 Ingredients
This vegan Mediterranean orzo salad requires only a few simple ingredients:
- Orzo (for an even healthier version use whole wheat orzo)
- Pitted kalamata olives
- Baby spinach
- Red bell pepper
- Cucumber
- Red onion
- Vegan feta cheese
To round up this tasty salad make an easy lemon vinaigrette, with the following ingredients:
- Greek extra-virgin olive oil
- Greek seasoning
- Freshly pressed lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper
🇬🇷 Using GAEA - Greek olive products
GAEA produces and sells Greek olive products, such as oils, snacks, condiments, and vinegar. All their products are made with the utmost care from the harvest to the shelf.
For this salad, we recommend using GAEA's pitted kalamata olives. Their Kalamata olives are a great source of dietary fiber, copper, vitamin E, and more. In addition, they are non-GMO, preservative-free, and lower in sodium than traditional olives in a jar. GAEA's pitted kalamata olives are full of authentic Greek and umami flavors, and some of the best-tasting olives we ever tried!
For the vinaigrette, we recommend using GAEA's extra virgin organic olive oil. This oil has exceptional quality and a characteristic aroma of fresh green olives and a fruity flavor. It creates a beautiful base for a homemade vinaigrette, complementing this orzo salad beautifully.
🤔 Is orzo pasta or rice?
Orzo looks a lot like rice but is actually a type of pasta. It is usually made from semolina. However, it can also be found made with whole grain, white flour, and even cassava for a gluten-free orzo.
🥗 How to make orzo salad
To make orzo salad cook orzo in salted boiling water, drain, rinse and set aside. Don't let it cool completely – it's good if the pasta is still a little bit warm when you toss the salad together. While pasta is cooking prepare your other ingredients: wash and cut vegetables, and drain olives. Add everything to a big salad bowl and toss.
In a separate bowl whisk together the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Then add to the salad as well. Toss until all is coated, salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy right away, or let the salad rest in the fridge to enhance its flavors.
👩🏽🍳 Serving ideas
Serve this salad either as the main dish or as a side dish. It travels well making it great for potlucks, picnics, cookouts, and barbecues. You can also serve it with casseroles, and soups. Other ideas include:
- Grilled, fried or roasted protein (such as tofu, seitan, or vegan chick'n)
- Vegan Gyros (made out of seitan, or soy curls)
- Vegan Meatballs (store-bought or homemade)
- Kebabs or Skewers
- Creamy tomato soup
- Green beans (grilled, roasted, or cooked)
- Corn on the cob (grilled, or roasted)
- Baguette, or other artisan bread (great with garlic herbed butter)
- Vegan Cevapcici
- Vegetable stew
Should orzo salad be hot or cold? Like other kinds of pasta salads, this orzo salad can be served warm or cold. Both ways taste good.
🥣 Storage
Store salad in the fridge in an airtight container, for up to 6 to 7 days.
Make ahead: Make orzo salad a day ahead for ease. Keep in the fridge until serving time.
Meal prep: This salad is great for your weekly meal prep! Store serving-size portions in containers for a quick lunch or grab-n-go meal.
📖 Recipe
Mediterranean Orzo Salad (vegan)
Ingredients
Orzo Salad
- 16 ounces Orzo* (450g)
- 1 glass Pitted kalamata olives, drained (5.6 oz / 160g)
- 3 cups Baby spinach (100g)
- 1 Red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium Cucumber, diced
- ¾ cup Red onion, diced (100g)
- 7 ounces Vegan feta cheese (200g)
Lemon Vinaigrette
- ¾ cup Greek extra-virgin olive oil (170 ml)
- 1 ½ teaspoon Greek seasoning
- Freshly pressed lemon juice from 1 lemon
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, season with salt, and cook the orzo for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse, and set aside to cool slightly. Transfer the orzo to a large salad bowl. While orzo is cooking prepare other ingredients (wash, cut, and drain). Add the spinach, chopped vegetables, and olives to the salad bowl. Then crumble the feta cheese over the pasta and toss.
- In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, Greek seasoning, salt, and pepper until well combined. Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta mixture and gently fold until the pasta and veggies are coated. Season to taste, drizzle with more olive oil if wished.
- Enjoy right away, or refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight before serving to enhance flavors.
Notes
The provided nutritional information is an estimate. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
PS: Don't forget to rate this recipe and leave a comment on your experience - this helps improve my recipes and serves you with the best instructions, tips, and substitution ideas. Plus, I love hearing about your takes on my recipes! Tag me on Instagram @thesimplesprinkle to show me your pictures.
I’m loving all the wholesome ingredients and the Mediterranean flavours!
Very good! Sent the recipe to several people. Thanks for posting! 💃
Thank you so much for your feedback and for sharing the recipe with others. I appreciate you!
Hi - what can I sub the Greek seasoning for? I haven't seen that in the UK. Thanks 😊
Hi Stella! Thank you so much for your question.
Greek seasoning is a blend of herbs and spices commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine. If you don't have Greek seasoning on hand or can't find all the ingredients to make the blend yourself, there are a few alternatives you can use to achieve a similar flavor profile. Here are some options:
Italian Seasoning: Italian seasoning is a blend of herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary, which are commonly found in Greek seasoning as well. It can provide a similar aromatic and herbaceous taste to your orzo salad.
Herbes de Provence: This is a French herb blend that typically includes herbs like thyme, rosemary, savory, and oregano. While not identical to Greek seasoning, it offers a fragrant and earthy flavor that can complement a Mediterranean-style salad.
Dried Oregano: Oregano is a key ingredient in Greek seasoning, so using it alone can provide a distinct Mediterranean flavor. You can add it directly to your orzo salad, adjusting the amount to taste.
Homemade Greek seasoning: If you have some individual spices available, you can create your own Greek seasoning by combining dried herbs like oregano, thyme, basil, marjoram, and parsley, along with spices like garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Adjust the proportions according to your preference.
Remember to taste and adjust the seasonings as you go, as the intensity and flavor of different blends may vary. It's always a good idea to start with a smaller amount and add more gradually until you achieve the desired taste in your Mediterranean orzo salad.
I hope this helps you! Happy cooking, and let me know if you have any more questions and how you liked this salad.
- Jacqui