Joy the Baker

It’s Not Summer Yet Greek Pasta Salad

by 80 Comments

Often my cravings tell me more about what I want, than the produce tables at the farmer’s market.

I know fresh tomatoes and cucumbers aren’t exactly deep winter foods, but I really just needed to combine them in a bowl with salty feta…. juuust to be sure.

This pasta salad feels extra indulgent because it tastes like early summer when most of you are ankle-deep in slush.  To be fair, this pasta salad is also loaded with an almost embarrassing amount of sheep’s milk feta.  So… should we start counting the days until Memorial Day now?  Too soon?

I really respect recipes that come together by the handful in a large bowl.  It just feels right.

The vegetables are fresh and crisp.  They’re juicy too!

Feta cheese is added in abundance, as is sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper.  I like to chop my basil at the last minute, to keep it from bruising and browning excessively.

A simple lemon vinaigrette is shaken in a mason and generously poured over the pasta.

After the two-spoon-toss, tadaaa!

It’s lunch.  It’s dinner.  It’s just stand in the kitchen and eat as much as you want.

It feels a bit silly to write out a recipe for this salad.  It’s mostly just handfuls of pasta, chopped tomatoes, cucumber and feta.  Where you see cups in the recipe below, feel free to just eyeball it and toss ingredients in by the handful. It’s more fun that way, really!

It’s Not Summer Yet Greek Pasta Salad

Print this Recipe!

adapted from Ina Garten and the rest of the internet

For the Dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced shallots

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons honey

sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

For the Pasta Salad:

5 cups cooked orzo pasta

2 cups de-seeded and coarsely chopped English Cucumbers

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

1 heaping cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup thinly sliced purple onion

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

I like to make my salad dressings in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid.  If you don’t have a jar, you can also vigorously whisk the mixture in a large bowl.

In a medium mason jar combine olive oil, lemon juice, shallots, mustard, honey, and a pinch of salt a fresh cracked black pepper.  Secure the lid tightly and shake vigorously until emulsified.  Taste and season with more lemon, honey, salt, or pepper as necessary.  Set aside.

In a large bowl toss together orzo pasta, cucumber, tomatoes, feta cheese, onion, and fresh basil.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.  Just before serving, drizzle in the dressing. Taste and season accordingly.  Serve immediately.  

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. Tanya B

    I pinned this a year ago, but I just got around to making it. I can now never get back the past year of my life where this pasta salad was missing. I could have easily eaten the whole bowl by myself. Kudos on a delicious recipe. I did leave out the basil (cause it’s not my favorite), and I swapped a red bell pepper for the tomato (cause my mouth rejects all raw tomatoes).

    Reply

  6. Kandice

    I love your photos! Your recipes always look delicious (and have been when I’ve made them) – so thank you for that. But I love your photos…they really draw me into the recipes, make my mouth water, and provide inspiration for an amateur photographer who just really loves food. Thanks!

    Reply

  8. Melanie

    Made the dressing to put in a regular Greek salad and it was delish! Definitely keeping this in the repertoire. Thanks Joy!!

    Reply

  9. Michelle

    I made this a few days ago and it was delish. I love food like this. I cooked 2 cups of dried orzo and then removed som after it was cooked because I thought it would be too much ohterwise. I Have no idea how much cooked orzo I used, but it was good either way. I love the flavors in this- added kalamata olives as well.

    Reply

  10. lizytishknits

    I saw the title and I thought there were going to be olives in there – I might be one of the only people I know that hates olives (but I LOVE olive oil). This looks wonderfully refreshing and would definitely be the perfect maybe-spring-and-then-summer-are-really-coming-after-all fake out meal.

    Reply

  17. JoJo

    I made this tonight and was so light and flavorful! I needed this as I gaze outdoors at too much winter. I liked the dressing and I added shrimp too.

    Reply

  21. Liz

    Yummy! I made it tonight for dinner…I think I should have added more honey, Dijon & lemon to give it an extra boost of flavor, but it was great as is. Thanks for your awesome recipes & helping us take advantage of our beautiful so cal winter weather!

    Reply

  30. Becca

    Be still my heart! Beings how I first learned of ‘greek salad’ in the mid’ 60’s in Tarpon Springs Florida when I was in high schoo I know this will do in a a pinch! I will eat this combo any day of the week just about any way I can! If it were the ‘greek salad’ I grew up with from Pappas Seafood restaurant in Tarpon Springs, it would have had a scoop of potato salad under the ‘salad fixins’. Oh sooo good! But, hey orzo works well for this as does coucous! Can not go wrong with the combo for sure! Thanks for sharing! and bringing back the memories!

    Reply

  32. kate

    That flavor combo is just so delicious. I like to use oregano (and sometimes some sliced pepperoncini), but the basil looks like a delicious option I’ll have to try out! I think I know what lunch will be this week!

    Reply

  36. Megan

    That looks and sounds delish, and I am all too tired of hearty winter food at this point. Although I will say you might want to wait until you’re in Louisiana to start rushing toward summer; it lasts a reaaaaally long time.

    Reply

  44. amy

    Love this simple salad. I have been making a variation of this for years. I have a different dressing and I sometimes add black olives, artichoke hearts or spinach if I have them on hand. This is a good thing to make Sunday to have for lunch for the week.

    Reply

  47. Michelle

    About how much dry orzo is 5 cups? This looks delicious and similar to something I’ve made and loved before- want to try this version though. It looks so, so, so good.

    Reply

  54. Megan

    Oh yes. I’m craving summer produce as well. At least it’s still kind of citrus season and citrus makes me think summertime. That salad looks delicious. But I would add tons of kalamatas to mine. A new found love!

    Reply

  61. Helen @ Scrummy Lane

    I was just sitting here at work (yikes!) thinking about whether I’d be able to find Israeli couscous for the salad I want to make tomorrow (I’m in Greece, so NOT always easy to find the ingredients I want!), when I read this post. You’ve given me the fabulous idea of using orzo instead, Joy – plenty of that to be found here!! Thank you! And of course I love this salad of yours … the Greeks eat Greek salad all year round so why shouldn’t you?

    Reply

  65. Jo

    For a yummy twist, soak the onion in the vinaigrette for a few minutes while you chop the other veggies …it just makes it slightly tender and a bit less pungent

    Reply

  68. Belinda Lo (Moonblush Baker)

    I am going to say yes to all of these variations to the greek salad. I think as long as it retains the essence of the dish ( a salty, sweet refreshing salad); you changes are going to be well received by even the most die hard Greek salad purist.

    Reply

  69. Rachel

    Yes. We should totally start counting the days to Memorial Day RIGHT NOW.

    And this both looks fantastic, and does remind me of lots of the pasta salads made with orzo I made around Memorial Day last year. I think I had a big bag of orzo left over from a recipe, I think it was one of Tracy’s soups, but as I was leaving LA in June I was trying to empty out my cupboards (hope you’re enjoying my Wok, by the way!!) so I made so many tomato, cucumber, red onion, orzo, and whatever else I had left combos!

    Reply

  71. Katy

    I’m in love with orzo, especially in pasta salads! I love that you used sheep’s milk feta, it has such a nice taste compared to cow’s milk. pinned.

    Reply

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