This simple orzo pasta salad is the perfect side dish to complement almost any meal. It’s quick and easy to make, is neither too dry nor too oily, and has a bright orange citrusy flavor that pairs so well with its flavorful Italian dressing. A generous amount of feta cheese is the final touch to making this pasta salad incredibly delicious and irresistible.
With summer fast approaching, I find myself on a mission to create a few new pasta salads that are simple, full of flavor, and aren’t overly unhealthy. First up, this easy-to-make orzo pasta salad. It uses fairly simple ingredients, however, it can also be customized each time you make it to create a completely new version. Just mix in halved tomatoes, finely diced carrots, chopped olives, diced peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, chopped celery, garbanzo beans, or finely diced red onion. Pretty much, whatever you have on hand that you think will make it better. It’s up to you. On its own, this pasta salad is pretty much perfection. Not too dry, not too oily, just the right amount of seasoning, and a slightly sweet bright orange flavor to bring everything together. However, if you feel that it needs a few more veggies or olives, by all means, toss them in. Make it your own. That’s what cooking is all about, right?
Ingredients:
- Cold Water
- Coarse Sea Salt
- 8-oz. Orzo (Approximately 1 1/2 Cups)
- Zest of 1 Orange (Approximately 1 Tablespoon)
- Juice of 1 Orange (Approximately 3 Tablespoons)
- 3 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Teaspoons Italian Herb Seasoning Mix (No Salt)
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Sea Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 4-oz. to 6-oz. Feta Cheese, Crumbled
Directions:
- Fill a medium pot with cold water. Add the coarse sea salt and bring the water to a boil over high heat.
- When the water comes to a rolling boil, add the orzo, stir well, and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked through.
- While the pasta is cooking, whisk the orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, Italian herb seasoning mix, ground sea salt, onion powder, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes together in a medium glass bowl.
- Strain the pasta and run it under cold water for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring it occasionally. Shake off any excess water.
- Add the drained pasta to the bowl of Italian dressing and stir well to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
- Fold the crumbled feta cheese into the pasta salad before serving.
Suggestions:
- Each brand of orzo pasta will have cooking directions on the package to help you decide how long the pasta should be boiled. I prefer my pasta a wee bit softer, so I usually add a minute or two.
- Use this Homemade Italian Herb Seasoning Mix (No-Salt) for this recipe. If you are using a store-bought seasoning mix, try to use one that contains no salt, otherwise this pasta salad may be too salty. If you are using a seasoning mix with salt, omit the 1/4 teaspoon of finely ground sea salt.
- Add as much or as little feta cheese as you like to this pasta salad. I like to garnish the salad with a little extra feta if I am serving it at a party, cookout, or barbecue.
Improvements:
- Add 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder to the Italian dressing.
- Mix in halved tomatoes, finely diced carrots, chopped olives, diced peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, chopped celery, garbanzo beans, or finely diced red onion.
- Serve this pasta salad with these Paprika & Oregano Marinated Pork Chops or these Lemony Mayonnaise Cod, Shrimp, and Asparagus Parchment Paper Wrapped Bundles.
- CLICK HERE to find more delicious pasta salad recipes.
Ingredients:
- Cold Water
- Coarse Sea Salt
- 8-oz. Orzo (Approximately 1 1/2 Cups)
- Zest of 1 Orange (Approximately 1 Tablespoon)
- Juice of 1 Orange (Approximately 3 Tablespoons)
- 3 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Teaspoons Italian Herb Seasoning Mix (No Salt)
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Sea Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 4-oz. to 6-oz. Feta Cheese, Crumbled
Directions:
- Fill a medium pot with cold water. Add the coarse sea salt and bring the water to a boil over high heat.
- When the water comes to a rolling boil, add the orzo, stir well, and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked through.
- While the pasta is cooking, whisk the orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, Italian herb seasoning mix, ground sea salt, onion powder, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes together in a medium glass bowl.
- Strain the pasta and run it under cold water for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring it occasionally. Shake off any excess water.
- Add the drained pasta to the bowl of Italian dressing and stir well to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
- Fold the crumbled feta cheese into the pasta salad before serving.
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Use this Homemade Italian Herb Seasoning Mix (No-Salt) to make this Orange & Feta Italian Orzo Pasta Salad. Making your own Italian herb seasoning mix is a real game changer, especially when there is no salt added. Not only does it give you the ability to control the salt content in your recipes, but it also allows you to customize the blend of herbs and spices to your liking. If you’re crazy about garlic, add more garlic powder. If you prefer food a little bit spicier, add additional crushed red pepper flakes. The best part about this homemade seasoning is that it only takes a few minutes to make and can be stored for use in all of your favorite Italian recipes. CLICK HERE for the recipe.
In 2024, we’ll be cooking and baking our way through the alphabet with several of our food blogger friends. Every other Wednesday, for the 2024 Alphabet Challenge, we’ll be sharing a new recipe featuring a consecutive letter of the alphabet, starting with A in January and ending with Z in December.
“A” – Dried Apple & Bourbon Oven-Baked Sauerkraut
“B” – Spicy Barbecue Seasoned Rice Chex Mix
“C” – Dove Dark Chocolate Chunk Cakey Muffins
“D” – Italian Deviled Eggs with Heart-Shaped Tomatoes
“E” – Buttery Everything Bagel Seasoning Biscuits
“F” – Butternut Squash Soup with French Herbes
“G” – Creamy Simple Stovetop Gouda Mac & Cheese
“H” – Sweet Honey Deviled Eggs with Fennel Fronds
“I” – Orange & Feta Italian Orzo Pasta Salad
“J” – Brown Sugar Caribbean Jerk Seasoning
“K” – Kalamata, Mozzarella, & Tomato Couscous Salad
“L” – Fresh Dill Deviled Eggs with a Hint of Lemon
“M” – Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Fresh Mint
“N” – Great Northern Bean Summer Caprese Salad
“O” – Firecracker Oatmeal Peanut Butter Blossoms
“P” – Creamy Potato Salad with Crunchy Fennel
“Q” – Butternut Squash Taco Ravioli with Queso Fresco
“R” – Cheeseburger Broccoli Rice Soup Casserole
“S” – Sweet Whiskey Skillet Teriyaki Chicken
“T” – Baked Chicken Tenders with Crushed Fritos
“U” – Unsweetened Coconut Oatmeal Peach Crisp
“V” – Sweet & Spicy Balsamic Vinegar Deviled Eggs
Please make sure to check out the other great “I” recipes below. A huge thanks to A Day in the Life on the Farm for hosting this 2024 Alphabet Challenge event.
- Iceberg Wedge Salad by Mayuri’s Jikoni
- Indonesian Bami Goreng by Palatable Pastime
- Instant Aloo Paratha by Magical Ingredients
- Instant Pot Bean and Smoked Pork Soup by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Instant White Dhokla by Sneha’s Recipe
- I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Saffron-Cardamom Ice Cream by Culinary Cam
- Italian Beef Sandwiches by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Italian Pane di Genzano by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Orange & Feta Italian Orzo Pasta Salad by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Raspberry Rhubarb Ice Cream by Food Lust People Love
- Strawberry Hibiscus Iced Tea Recipe by Blogghetti
