Greek orzo salad
Kritharaki is the Greek name for rice-shaped pasta, better known as orzo. In tavernas and homes it is served in summer as a salad — with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, kalamata olives, feta, dill and oregano, in an olive oil and lemon dressing. It is essentially a Greek village salad with pasta: filling, fresh and good for picnics, as it does not wilt. The trick is the same as with grain salads: the pasta is dressed with oil and lemon while still warm.
Your own work in that: 5 min.
- Cooking the pasta 15 min
- Cooling 15 min
- Chopping 10 min
- Combining 5 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneCook the orzo
Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente, as the pack says, usually 8–10 minutes. With bringing the water to the boil, it takes about a quarter of an hour.
Ingredients: 250 g orzo pasta (kritharaki) · 250 g cherry tomatoes · ½ pcs cucumber · ½ pcs red onion · 60 g kalamata olives · 150 g feta · ½ bunch dill
Al dente — it softens further in the salad.Dress while warm
Drain the orzo (do not rinse it) and toss it at once, still hot, with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the lemon juice and zest. Warm pasta absorbs the flavour, and the oil keeps the grains from sticking together.
Ingredients: 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil · 1 pcs lemon (juice and grated zest) · 1 tbsp red wine vinegar · 1 tsp dried oregano · 1 tsp salt (plus for the water) · ½ tsp black pepper
While warm, with oil and lemon.Cool
Spread the pasta thinly on a large platter or tray and cool to lukewarm, about 15 minutes, stirring now and then. Piled in a bowl, orzo takes much longer to cool.
Ingredients: 250 g orzo pasta (kritharaki) · 250 g cherry tomatoes · ½ pcs cucumber · ½ pcs red onion · 60 g kalamata olives · 150 g feta · ½ bunch dill
Chop the vegetables
Halve the tomatoes, dice the cucumber, slice the onion thinly and halve the olives. Chop the dill.
Ingredients: 250 g orzo pasta (kritharaki) · 250 g cherry tomatoes · ½ pcs cucumber · ½ pcs red onion · 60 g kalamata olives · 150 g feta · ½ bunch dill
Make the dressing
Mix the rest of the olive oil with the vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper.
Ingredients: 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil · 1 pcs lemon (juice and grated zest) · 1 tbsp red wine vinegar · 1 tsp dried oregano · 1 tsp salt (plus for the water) · ½ tsp black pepper
Combine
Add the vegetables, olives and dill to the pasta, pour over the dressing and toss.
Ingredients: 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil · 1 pcs lemon (juice and grated zest) · 1 tbsp red wine vinegar · 1 tsp dried oregano · 1 tsp salt (plus for the water) · ½ tsp black pepper
Everything together — and the feta last.Add the feta
Crumble the feta over the salad and fold in gently, leaving larger pieces.
Ingredients: 250 g orzo pasta (kritharaki) · 250 g cherry tomatoes · ½ pcs cucumber · ½ pcs red onion · 60 g kalamata olives · 150 g feta · ½ bunch dill
Serve
Taste and adjust with salt, pepper or a few drops of vinegar. Serve at room temperature, on its own or with grilled fish and meat.
Ingredients: 250 g orzo pasta (kritharaki) · 250 g cherry tomatoes · ½ pcs cucumber · ½ pcs red onion · 60 g kalamata olives · 150 g feta · ½ bunch dill
Before you start
With prawns
With grilled prawns or tinned tuna the salad becomes a full meal.
For picnics
The salad travels very well. In hot weather keep it in a cool bag because of the feta.
Storage
The salad keeps 2 days in the fridge. The pasta absorbs the dressing, so add a spoonful of oil and a little lemon before serving.
