| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 30 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Good olive oil
- 3/4 pound orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
- 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
- 1 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 cup medium-diced hothouse cucumber, unpeeled and seeded
- 1/2 cup small-diced red onion
- 3/4 pound good feta cheese, large-diced
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.
- Add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 408 |
| Total Fat | 16 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 50 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Protein | 16 g |
| Cholesterol | 50 mg |
| Sodium | 660 mg |
Reviews
I made this for the 4th of July and added a little salt at a time because some reviewers said the salad was too salty. I used Kosher salt and ended up using the exact amount called for. The taste was perfect – until I added the feta cheese. It then became much too salty to eat. Luckily a good portion of the feta pieces were large enough even after mixing that I was able to take them out. A time-consuming task but worth the effort. After removing at least a third of the cheese, the salad was okay to eat and everyone liked it. It is not my favorite, probably won’t be making it again. It took a long time to chop all the ingredients (not a chef, so I don’t chop at 60 mph) and the lemon flavored dressing isn’t all that tasty.
Has anyone subbed basil or mint for dill? My family does not like dill
This was a hit! I left out the red onion and cut back on the salt and pepper (added to the dressing but did not add more salt/pepper when I combined the ingredients). It was perfect!
Delicious! Really flavorful. I made it as a side dish for grilled chicken (and grilled shrimp the next night). I did omit the red onion and have no regrets- I think there was plenty onion flavor from all the scallions. Additionally, I couldn’t find orzo at the store I was shopping in (surprising, I know) so I used a skinny, petite like penne that they had. Huge hit. Company gave me rave reviews and I will definitely be making this dish again!
I made this for the first time tonight. Super simple and absolutely delicious! Perfect side for Ina’s Lemon Tuscan Chicken! Definitely adding this to the rotation!
I have made this numerous times and love it. It’s creamier when you add tge feta but is equally good to leave it out for lactose intolerant folks and serve it on the side. Also, can leave out the green onions and double the purple onion. So delish!
Tasty and healthy. Only thing I would change is the amount of lemon juice. 3 lemons gets you more than 1/2 a cup of juice.
I made this for a potluck and it was a hit! Many people kept asking for more 🙂 I loved it. I did exactly as recipe call. Saving this recipe for the future.
Very very good! I substitute Mrs. Dash for the salt and don’t miss it. Still 660 mg sodium per serving from the feta, but that’s down from 221o+mg
Ina—Can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve made this, I make it exactly as the recipes calls for, I USE kosher salt. I am making it again today. I have tried other Orzo pasta recipes, but this is the best!