As much as I love cheese, grating it is one of my least favorite things to do. I put it up there with laundry, word problems, and going to the dentist. If I were filthy rich, I would hire someone whose only job was to attend to my every cheese-grating need. No joke. If I had so much money that I could spend it on something as frivolous, a personal cheese-grater would be at the top of my list. That’s why I like feta.
Especially pre-crumbled feta. And feta is the reason that I love Mediterranean cuisine so much. In my opinion, this crumbly, creamy cheese is really what makes Mediterranean dishes so delicious. This Mediterranean Orzo Salad is one of my favorite weeknight side dishes. It is so easy to throw together, and it’s even better for lunch the next day. The tiny orzo pasta in this salad makes it a bit more substantial, but it also allows the rest of the ingredients to shine through.
Mediterranean Orzo Salad
| Yield | Serves 4 to 6 |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 10 minutes |
| Total time | 25 minutes |
| Meal type | Pasta, Vegetarian |
Ingredients
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Salad
- 1 cup orzo
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves, chopped
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 red onion, diced
Directions
| Dressing | |
| 1. | Whisk together the vinegar, oregano, and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. |
| Salad | |
| 2. | Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. |
| 3. | Meanwhile, combine the chickpeas, spinach, tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, and red onion in a large bowl. Drain the orzo and add to the bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. |
P.S. If anyone is interested in a job as my personal cheese-grater, I am now hiring!
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Try a small food processor for grating cheese. Of course then that has to be washed.
The pre-grated isn’t too bad if you really do hate to grate. Don’t recommend it for home made pimiento cheese however.
This salad looks so good and refreshing! I have a question though. In your instructions you mention cucumber but it’s not in the ingredients list, so I was wondering how much cucumber you use and if you peel it first or leave it on? Thanks for your time and sharing a great looking recipe!
Whoops! Thanks for pointing that out Erin. If you would like to add cucumber to the dish, I use a whole hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, but seeded and chopped. I’ll fix the recipe ASAP!
Thank you! Have a great day!
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