Tomato Feta Orzo Salad (Printable)

Mediterranean orzo with tomatoes, feta, fresh herbs, and a tangy olive oil dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 1/4 cups orzo

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 small red onion, finely diced

→ Dairy

04 - 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Herbs & Greens

05 - 3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
06 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
09 - 1 garlic clove, minced
10 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Steps:

01 - Boil orzo in salted water until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until combined.
03 - Add cooled orzo, cherry tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese, basil, and parsley to the bowl with dressing.
04 - Gently toss all ingredients until evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 4 hours for flavors to meld.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes even better the next day when the flavors get cozy together.
  • The feta and tomatoes create this salty-tangy magic that makes people ask for the recipe before they even finish eating.
  • It's genuinely flexible—add olives if you're feeling fancy, skip the herbs if you don't have them, use what you have.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the pasta under cold water after draining—this stops the cooking and prevents it from turning to mush in the dressing.
  • Taste your dressing before you add the other ingredients and adjust it aggressively, because you can't really fix it once the feta is in the mix.
03 -
  • Use a good quality feta that comes in brine rather than pre-crumbled; it holds together better and tastes noticeably sharper and more authentic.
  • If your cherry tomatoes are watery or not very flavorful, add them at the very end instead of letting them sit in the dressing, and increase the salt slightly to compensate.
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