Simple pasta recipes are always a good idea, especially when it calls for ingredients from the pantry and simple veggies that take no time to prepare. Orzo is one of those pastas that goes with just about anything, no wonder it's a fan favorite! Plus, when paired with flavors of the Mediterranean, you've got a great recipe that screams flavor. This is an easy mediterranean orzo pasta salad recipe that just can't be beat!
Pasta is perfect for any season, any time of day, and day of the week, especially when it's an easy and approachable one like this.
All my pasta recipes, specific my creamy spinach pasta, or my easy vegetable pasta bake, they're full of flavor, easy to prepare and make ahead of time. Trust me when I say, this orzo pasta with mediterranean flavors is perfection.
Jump to:
- What are the ingredients for this mediterranean pasta recipe?
- How do I make this mediterranean orzo pasta salad?
- Pasta Swaps and Substitutions
- Ways to vary this mediterranean pasta salad
- Why you'll love this orzo pasta salad
- How do I store this recipe? Can I freeze it?
- PRO TIP:
- Hungry for more?
- Did you like this recipe? Share it!
- Mediterranean Orzo Pasta
What are the ingredients for this mediterranean pasta recipe?
- Whole Wheat Orzo - you can also use regular orzo, or other pastas such as ditalini, stelline, or small shells.
- Zucchini - a fun, easy to cook veggie that tastes great in every dish, but especially this one.
- Frozen peas - canned works too!
- Frozen corn - fresh works too!
- Fresh baby spinach - you can also use frozen
- Grape tomatoes - slice them up and add right into the pasta.
- Olive oil - a drizzle of olive oil and then tossed together with the pasta.
- Butter - the butter is for sautéing the veggies.
- Garlic powder - a little goes a long way!
- Oregano - oregano is a very popular Mediterranean herb so of course we had to use it here.
- Salt and Pepper - the dynamic duo to add a little seasoning and extra depth of flavor.
- Feta - a few crumbles of feta on top rounds out the dish.
See the recipe card below for specific quantities.
How do I make this mediterranean orzo pasta salad?
Step 1: Bring a large pot of water and cook the orzo until al dente. Strain, pour back into the pot, and set aside.
Step 2: In a large skillet, sauté the baby spinach is the tablespoon of butter.
Step 3: Once the spinach has wilted, add in the frozen corn, peas, zucchini and tomatoes. Sprinkle the garlic powder and toss to combine. Let sit for a few minutes on a low flame, approximately 5-6 minutes or until zucchini is tender and soft.
Step 4: Once the vegetables have become soft and tender, add the vegetables to the orzo. Drizzle the olive oil, oregano, and salt and pepper into the pot. Stir to combine. Plate and add fresh feta crumbles and serve.
HINT: Cooking the pasta to al dente means "to the tooth," meaning the pasta has a bite to it. You don't want to overcook the pasta, so be sure to follow the directions carefully or cook the pasta a minute shorter than the packaging suggests.
Pasta Swaps and Substitutions
I would be remiss if I didn't offer you some substitution and swap options for this recipe, so that you can fully enjoy it, regardless of any dietary needs.
- Pasta -swap out the whole wheat orzo for another type of shorter pasta like ditalini, pastina, or small shells.
- Cheese - swap the regular feta for a dairy-free option.
- Veggies - you can opt to use a variety of vegetables in this dish such as eggplant, bell pepper, and onions.
Ways to vary this mediterranean pasta salad
One of the benefits of making a pasta recipe is that there are a bunch of ways to vary how you serve and make this dish. Here's a few ideas:
- Spice - add chili pepper flakes to the pasta as you mix in the ricotta and marinara.
- Veggies - add some spinach, broccoli, or peas if you want to make this a veggie-friendly recipe.
- Meat - you can add in some grilled shrimp, salmon, or seasoned chicken to this dish for some added protein.
Why you'll love this orzo pasta salad
My favorite reason for making this dish is due to the fact that this dish doesn't require a crazy amount of ingredients or unnecessary items. All it takes is some orzo, veggies, and oil. Of course, we need the feta cheese because it wouldn't be a Mediterranean-style dish without it! This recipe is great for:
- Meal prep
- Easy lunch prep
- Quick weeknight meals
- Meatless Monday options
How do I store this recipe? Can I freeze it?
All leftovers can be placed in a tightly sealed tupperware and placed directly in the fridge. This recipe is also freeze friendly, so if you want to make this dish for another day, simply prep the veggies and pasta, place into a tupperware and into the freezer it goes. When ready, you can defrost the pasta, top with the cheese and bake according to instructions.
PRO TIP:
Don't be afraid to drizzle more olive oil atop the orzo pasta salad once it's assembled, this will give more rich and robust flavor.
Hungry for more?
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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Mediterranean Orzo Pasta
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 1 medium frying pan
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 strainer
- 1 medium serving bowl
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat orzo
- 1 zucchini diced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ cup feta crumbles
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of water and cook the orzo is al dente, then strain, pour back into the pot, and set aside.
- Meanwhile, sauté the baby spinach is the tablespoon of butter. Once the spinach has wilted, add in the frozen corn, peas, zucchini and tomatoes.
- Sprinkle the garlic powder and toss to combine. Let sit for a few minutes on a low flame, approximately 5-6 minutes or until zucchini is tender and soft.
- Once the vegetables have become soft and tender, add the vegetables to the orzo.
- Drizzle the olive oil, oregano, and salt and pepper into the pot. Stir to combine.
- Plate and add fresh feta crumbles and serve.
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