Herbed Orzo Salad

Quick answer

Total time: 22 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Herbed orzo salad cooks rice-shaped orzo pasta to al dente in salted water, cools it, then tosses it with diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped parsley and mint, and crumbled feta cheese in a lemon and olive oil dressing.

Pulling the orzo from the water one minute before the package time is essential - the pasta continues to cook as it sits and absorbs dressing, so even slight overcooking results in a mushy texture by the time the salad is served. A small amount of olive oil stirred into the drained orzo while still warm prevents the pieces from clumping into a mass. The two-ingredient dressing of lemon juice and olive oil is deliberately bare, designed to let the bright herbal aroma of the parsley and mint come forward while cutting through the starchy weight of the pasta. Crumbling feta by hand rather than slicing it scatters uneven pockets of salty, creamy fat throughout the salad, so the flavor shifts slightly from one forkful to the next. The salad holds its texture and flavor when stored cold, making it well suited for packed lunches and advance preparation several hours ahead of serving.

Ingredients (2 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
orzo pasta	140	g
cucumber	100	g
cherry tomatoes	120	g
parsley	20	g
mint	10	g
feta cheese	60	g
lemon juice	1	tbsp
olive oil	2	tbsp

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Season

Cook 140 g orzo in well-salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the package time.

Drain as soon as the center still feels slightly firm, because the pasta will keep softening after dressing.
2

Heat

Rinse the drained orzo briefly under cold water to stop the cooking, then shake off as much water as possible.

Toss with a small spoonful from the 2 tbsp olive oil so the grains do not clump.
3

Prep

Cut 100 g cucumber into small bite-size pieces and halve 120 g cherry tomatoes.

Coarsely chop 20 g parsley and 10 g mint, keeping the herbs loose rather than crushing them into a wet paste.
4

Step

Whisk 1 tbsp lemon juice while adding the remaining olive oil little by little.

Stop when the dressing looks slightly cloudy and cohesive, which helps it coat the orzo instead of pooling below.
5

Step

Put the orzo, cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, and mint in a large bowl and pour over the dressing.

Fold from the bottom upward with a spatula so the herbs spread evenly without bruising.
6

Season

Crumble 60 g feta cheese by hand into large uneven pieces and fold only once or twice.

Let the salad stand 5 minutes, then check that the orzo is firm, the herbs smell fresh, and the feta remains in visible pieces.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Herbed Orzo Salad combines al dente pasta with fresh mint, parsley, and crumbled feta cheese.
Finish cue: Stop when the dressing looks slightly cloudy and cohesive, which helps it coat the orzo instead of pooling below.
Avoid this: Do not overcook orzo or it will turn mushy.
Storage and reheating: The salad holds its texture and flavor when stored cold, making it well suited for packed lunches and advance preparation several hours ahead of serving.