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. Â To be fair, this pasta salad is also loaded with an almost embarrassing amount of sheep’s milk feta. Â So… should we start counting the days until Memorial Day now? Â Too soon?
I really respect recipes that come together by the handful in a large bowl. Â It just feels right.
The vegetables are fresh and crisp. Â They’re juicy too!
Feta cheese is added in abundance, as is sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Â 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. Â It’s dinner. Â 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. Â It’s mostly just handfuls of pasta, chopped tomatoes, cucumber and feta. Â 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
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. Â 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. Â Secure the lid tightly and shake vigorously until emulsified. Â Taste and season with more lemon, honey, salt, or pepper as necessary. Â Set aside.
In a large bowl toss together orzo pasta, cucumber, tomatoes, feta cheese, onion, and fresh basil. Â Season lightly with salt and pepper. Â Just before serving, drizzle in the dressing. Taste and season accordingly. Â Serve immediately. Â
81 Responses
Warmer weather can not come soon enough in my book!
All this warm weather we have been having has been making me want it to be summer real bad. This pasta salad looks perfect.
Love the ratio of cheese to everything else in this. Would love to try this with farro or wheat berries.
I’m SO in the mood for this! Summer can’t get here fast enough!
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.
Wow, this looks good. I think you just derailed the dinner plans I already had set for tonight!
Oh so good, so good!
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.
Always a beautiful picture!
Very tasty dish. I have cooked this, and I am delighted. Thanks for amazing recipe! :)
This looks delicious! I will have to make it for dinner this week! I bet my daughter would love it too!
Bring on summertime!!! I’m all for seasonal eating, but you’ve got my tastebuds excited now!
It’s always summer in Costa Rica so this looks just perfect for dinner tonight!
I am so ready for this
Yes please, I’d absolutely inhale this salad!
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.
Omg that look so yummy!
Never too early to count down the days to Memorial Day! I make a similar pasta – think I’m going to steal a couple of your ideas here though…
How many lbs of orzo did you use for five cups cooked? Thanks in advance
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!
I love everything about this salad. delicious!
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!
Delicious!
https://duecuoriinpadella.blogspot.it/
I could go for some of this right now. Even though It’s snowing right now. Yum!
This salad looks fabulous. I am loving those huge chunks of feta. I am so sick of winter I am all about eating warm weather foods.