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Orzo Pasta Salad with Feta and Sun Dried Tomatoes

This orzo pasta salad with feta and sun dried tomatoes makes a wonderful side dish or light meal, whether you are enjoying it at home, pot luck, barbecue or even a picnic.

Side view of a white bowl with orzo pasta salad in it with fresh mint next to it and olive oil, salt and pepper behind it

When the weather warms up, we all have this natural aversion to cooking. Who wants to heat up the house even more, right? Here in San Diego we are lucky. We only turn on our air conditioner for about 4 weeks out of the year.

Some years are worse than others, of course, but for the most part, we count ourselves blessed. But that doesn’t mean I cook less over the summer!

My family loves to take our cooking outdoors. I also like to serve lighter, easier meals. I never thought my kids would like pasta salad, but lately they can’t get enough of it. When we have a picnic or potluck to go to, I have two go-to dishes: my roasted balsamic vegetables salad and this orzo pasta salad with feta.

Why you must try this recipe

I was never a fan of pasta salads. Most of them include bottled dressing and canned ingredients. The flavors will blah and bland and lackluster. So of course I dove in head first and created something better.

Fresh flavors always make food taste better. The quality of your ingredients can elevate or sink a recipe. When you think pasta salad, you probably envision the tri-color spiral pasta with Italian flavors in it.

This pasta salad recipe uses orzo pasta and gets its ingredient inspiration from Greek flavors. Fresh herbs are used for high impact flavor. The dressing is made with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and grated lemon zest.

You can easily fine tune the recipe to use your favorite ingredients. For example, swap out olives for artichoke hearts. Or as my kids prefer, add both! Want to add some protein? Mix in some chopped chicken or shrimp.

This recipe can easily be halved or doubled. It is easy to be transported and it keeps in the refrigerator for several days. This orzo pasta salad is truly a vibrant dish that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Close up top view of a white bowl with orzo pasta salad in it with a golden spoon, fresh mint, olive oil, salt and pepper next to it

Ingredients you need

Ingredients labeled and needed to make orzo pasta salad

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Step-by-step directions

1. Prepare pasta per package directions. Cook until al dente and drain in a colander. Transfer to a mixing bowl until cooled to room temperature.

A glass mixing bowl with cooked orzo pasta in it with a bowl of fresh spinach next to it, along with a lemon, salt and pepper, fresh herbs and olive oil

2. Add the chopped olives, onions, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, basil, lemon zest and mint to the mixing bowl with the orzo pasta.

A glass mixing bowl with orzo pasta, chopped spinach, herbs, feta, olives, red onions and sun dried tomatoes in it with a bowl of fresh spinach next to it, along with a lemon, salt and pepper, fresh herbs and olive oil

3. Add the oil, lemon juice and pepper then toss gently. Serve at room temperature or keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

A glass mixing bowl with orzo pasta salad in it with a bowl of fresh spinach next to it, along with a lemon, salt and pepper, fresh herbs and olive oil

Expert tips and recipe FAQs

If you don’t know much about feta, you probably didn’t realize that there are numerous varieties of this wonderful cheese. Feta originally came from Greece is traditionally made with sheep’s milk. Sometimes goat milk is added to mix as well.

Feta can be dry or moist, creamy or crumbly, salty or smooth. It can also be made by a variety of different milks, like sheep, cow and goat milk. Here are some of my personal favorite varieties of feta that you can use in this pasta salad with feta, depending on what characteristics you prefer.

Feta is best stored in the brine it came in. Feta will stay fresh like this for weeks or even months in a covered container soaking in its brine. If the feta tastes too salty for your own personal taste, you can rinse it with water before serving.

And if you want to learn even more about feta, check out this great post.

Top view of a white bowl with orzo pasta salad in it with a golden spoon, fresh herbs, olive oil, salt and pepper next to it
How long will orzo pasta salad keep?

Assuming you are using fresh ingredients, this salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You could stretch it to 7 days, but I recommend 5 days to be on the safe side. Pasta salad goes bad faster if it sits outside of the refrigerator for long periods of time.

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Yield: serves 6

Orzo Pasta Salad with Feta and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Side view of a white bowl with orzo pasta salad in it with fresh mint next to it and olive oil, salt and pepper behind it

This orzo pasta salad with feta and sun dried tomatoes makes a wonderful side dish or light meal, whether you are enjoying it at home, pot luck, barbecue or even a picnic.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 qt water
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 lb orzo pasta
  • ½ lb kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
  • ½ cup diced red onion
  • 12 oz sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained and chopped
  • 1 cup thinly sliced spinach
  • 3 TBS thinly sliced fresh basil
  • 3 TBS thinly sliced fresh mint
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 TBS lemon juice
  • Grated zest from 1 lemon
  • ⅓ lb crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

  1. In a heavy saucepan bring water and salt to boil. Add orzo to the boiling water and cook per package directions.
  2. When pasta is cooked, drain well in a colander and transfer to a large serving bowl.
  3. Add olives, onions, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, lemon zest, basil and mint to the orzo pasta and mix well.
  4. Add remaining ingredients and toss gently and serve at room temperature or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Notes

Assuming you are using fresh ingredients, this salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You could stretch it to 7 days, but I recommend 5 days to be on the safe side. Pasta salad goes bad faster if it sits outside of the refrigerator for long periods of time.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1 bowl

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 390Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 635mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 6gSugar: 3gProtein: 11g

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This recipe was originally published June 8, 2010. It has been continually updated with more information and new photographs.

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