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Greek orzo pasta salad
Greek orzo pasta salad is light, refreshing cold pasta salad perfect for summer backyard BBQ party and for picnics and potlucks. Packed with fresh, crunchy vegetables and bright lemony summer vinaigrette flavors, this salad is a crowd pleaser!
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Chill Time
45 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 254 kcal
Course:
Side Dish , Main Course , Salad
Cuisine:
Greek
Ingredients
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 1 English cucumber
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- ½ Red Onions
- ⅓ cup kalamata olives
- 1 cup chickpeas canned or home-cooked
- ½ cup feta cheese block
- ¼ cup parsley
- ¾ cup Greek Salad Dressing
Instructions
- Make Greek salad dressing following this recipe.
- Prep all vegetables by chopping it small. Keep vegetables thin so it's easy to eat.
- Add 1 teaspoon olive oil and 2 teaspoon salt to boiling water. Cook orzo pasta al-dente.Jo’s Tip: I usually cook pasta for lesser time than mentioned on the packet. Cooking as per packet instruction time always results in fully cooked pasta. To cook al-dente reduce 2.5 minutes to 3 minutes time compared to mentioned in packet.
- Drain al-dente cooked pasta and transfer to large bowl.
- Add cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onions, olives, chickpeas and crumble feta cheese into it.
- Sprinkle fresh chopped flat leaf parsley. Drizzle with Greek salad dressing.
- Toss to combine.
- Cover and refrigerator for at least 4 hours or until ready to serve.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Nutrition values mentioned are for 1 serving of side dish.
- Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
- Always cook orzo pasta al-dente. Over cooked pasta will turn the salad into a mush.
- Buy block feta cheese instead of pre crumbled ones. They are much better.
- Chop/slice vegetables thin so it’s easy to eat with orzo pasta.
- Toss the salad with a small amount of dressing before chilling in fridge to keep the pasta moist. Then cover and refrigerate. This will prevent orzo from drying out.
- Though the salad may stay good for 4 days, it's best to be eaten within 2 days when the vegetables are still at it's best and orzo pasta hasn't turned too soft.
- You can serve orzo pasta salad as side dish or as main. This recipe makes 8 servings as side dish or 5 servings as main.
Nutrition Information
Calories
254kcal
(13%)
Carbohydrates
24g
(8%)
Protein
6g
(12%)
Fat
15g
(23%)
Saturated Fat
4g
(20%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
6g
Monounsaturated Fat
5g
Cholesterol
8mg
(3%)
Sodium
199mg
(8%)
Potassium
228mg
(7%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
356IU
(7%)
Vitamin C
9mg
(10%)
Calcium
75mg
(8%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 254
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 254kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 24g | 8% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6g | 35% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol | 8mg | 3% |
| Sodium | 199mg | 8% |
| Potassium | 228mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 356IU | 7% |
| Vitamin C | 9mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 75mg | 8% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.