Description
Vibrant Mediterranean orzo salad combines fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and tangy feta cheese. Summer flavors dance across this light, refreshing dish that delights palates with Mediterranean-inspired ingredients you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz (454 g) orzo
- 7 oz (198 g) feta cheese
- 5 oz (142 g) Castelvetrano green olives
- 5 oz (142 g) Kalamata pitted olives
- 3 cups baby spinach leaves
- 1 ½ cups (225 g) chopped red bell pepper
- 1 cup (150 g) cucumber, diced and seeded
- ¾ cup (120 g) red onion, diced
- ½ cup (120 ml) canola oil
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 ½ tsps oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Bring a generously salted pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook orzo until perfectly tender, approximately 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water to cease cooking. Spread orzo on a flat surface, allowing complete cooling.
- Vegetable Assembly: In a substantial mixing bowl, combine cooled orzo with baby spinach, crimson bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, and olives. Delicately crumble half the feta cheese throughout the mixture, creating a vibrant Mediterranean palette.
- Vinaigrette Creation: Whisk together canola and olive oils with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Incorporate dried oregano, salt, and cracked black pepper, blending into a harmonious, flavor-packed dressing that will transform the salad’s character.
- Flavor Fusion: Pour the crafted vinaigrette over the orzo medley, gently folding to ensure comprehensive coating. Taste and adjust seasonings, achieving a perfectly balanced flavor profile that celebrates Mediterranean essence.
- Final Touches: Refrigerate the salad for minimum one hour, allowing flavors to meld and intensify. Before serving, garnish with remaining feta cheese, presenting a refreshing, colorful culinary masterpiece that promises a delightful gastronomic experience.
Notes
- Optimize Pasta Texture: Rinse orzo immediately after cooking to prevent overcooking and sticky clumping, ensuring a perfect al dente consistency.
- Enhance Flavor Infusion: Let salad marinate in refrigerator for at least an hour to allow ingredients to meld and develop deeper, more complex taste profile.
- Balance Dressing Distribution: Fold vinaigrette gently to coat ingredients evenly without crushing delicate vegetables, maintaining salad’s fresh texture.
- Maximize Freshness: Add feta cheese just before serving to preserve its crumbly texture and prevent soggy ingredients, keeping the salad crisp and vibrant.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 32g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 30mg