Greek Orzo Salad (Kritharaki Salad)

About This Recipe

This orzo salad takes the classic flavors of Greek horiatiki and folds them through tender orzo pasta, making a heartier dish that works well for picnics, potlucks, or a make-ahead lunch. Kritharaki, the Greek word for orzo, is a pantry staple in Greek kitchens, often used in soups and baked dishes as well as cold salads like this one. Cooling the orzo properly before dressing it is the key technical step — dressing it while hot causes the pasta to absorb too much oil and turn heavy rather than staying light and separate.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 cupsorzo pasta
• 1cucumber(diced)
• 1 cupcherry tomatoes(halved)
• 0.5 cupKalamata olives(pitted, halved)
• 150 gfeta(crumbled)
• 0.25red onion(finely diced)
• 0.33 cupextra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tbspfresh lemon juice
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 1 tspfine sea salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the orzo

   Boil orzo in salted water according to package directions, about 9 minutes, until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.

2. 2

   Cool completely

   Spread the orzo on a tray to cool fully, at least 10 minutes.

   Rinsing and cooling prevents the pasta from clumping and absorbing too much dressing.

3. 3

   Make the dressing

   Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, and salt together.

4. 4

   Combine the salad

   In a large bowl, toss cooled orzo with cucumber, tomatoes, olives, feta, and red onion.

5. 5

   Dress and serve

   Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving for the best flavor.

Variations

• •

  Add grilled chicken or shrimp to turn it into a full main-dish salad.

• •

  Include roasted red peppers for extra sweetness and color.

• •

  Use whole wheat orzo for a heartier, nuttier version.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 4 days in an airtight container; the salad actually improves in flavor after a day in the fridge.

Frequently Asked Questions