Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Feta and Roasted Vegetables
Pearlescent orzo tossed with charred aubergine, courgette and red pepper, crumbled feta, Kalamata olives and a lemon‑herb dressing.
This sun-soaked Mediterranean orzo salad is built for easy weeknight dinners, picnics and potlucks. Roasting the veg concentrates sweetness and gives those smoky notes that make the bright lemon dressing sing.
It’s forgiving to make — you can roast any mix of veg you have. Chill for half an hour to let the flavours come together, then watch it disappear. Perfect warm weather fare, or a cheery side for a roast.
Ingredients
- 320 g orzo pasta
- 1 aubergine — about 400 g
- 2 courgette — medium
- 1 red pepper — large
- 150 g chestnut mushrooms
- 1 brown onion — medium
- 3 garlic cloves
- 60 ml olive oil
- 1 lemon — zest and juice
- 15 ml red wine vinegar
- 5 ml honey
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 10 ml sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 150 g feta cheese
- 100 g Kalamata olives — pitted
- 20 g flat-leaf parsley — roughly chopped
- 10 g fresh mint — roughly chopped
- 30 g pine nuts — to toast
Equipment
- baking tray
- colander
- frying pan
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional. Cut the aubergine, courgette and red pepper into similar-sized bite-sized pieces. Quarter the chestnut mushrooms and roughly chunk the brown onion. Put all the veg on a baking tray, drizzle with half the olive oil, sprinkle over the dried oregano, half the sea salt and half the black pepper and toss so everything is evenly coated. Spread out in a single layer.
Roast the vegetables for 25 minutes, turning once after 12–13 minutes so they char evenly.
After roasting, leave the vegetables on the tray to cool for 10 minutes so they stop steaming and hold their texture.
While the veg roasts, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the orzo for about 9 minutes until just al dente (follow packet timing). Drain in a colander and rinse briefly under cold water to stop it cooking; shake well.
Make the dressing: zest and juice the lemon, finely grate or crush the garlic, then whisk together with the remaining olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, the rest of the sea salt and black pepper in a small bowl.
Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes until golden, shaking the pan constantly. Remove from the heat to stop them burning.
Roughly chop the cooled roasted vegetables into bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl combine the drained orzo, chopped roasted vegetables, Kalamata olives, crumbled feta, chopped flat-leaf parsley and fresh mint. Pour over the dressing and toss gently to combine. Stir in most of the toasted pine nuts, reserving a few to scatter on top.
Chill the salad in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the flavours marry, then taste and adjust seasoning before serving. Scatter the reserved pine nuts and a little extra parsley over the top.
Serve cold or at room temperature, with an extra drizzle of olive oil if liked.
Tips
- Cut vegetables to similar sizes so they roast evenly — uneven pieces mean some will be mushy while others remain raw.
- Rinse the cooked orzo under cold water to stop it going gluey; shake the colander to remove excess water so the dressing isn’t diluted.
- Toast pine nuts last-minute and store separately if making ahead to keep them crunchy.
- If making ahead, toss the dressing and salad together but add the pine nuts and a little extra feta just before serving to preserve texture.
- If the salad tastes flat after chilling, add a splash more lemon juice or a pinch more sea salt — acidity and salt wake it up.
Substitutions
feta cheese → crumbled ricotta salata or halloumi cubes, same quantity
Noticeably differentorzo pasta → pearl couscous (same weight) for a chewier texture
Stays closepine nuts → toasted flaked almonds or sunflower seeds (30 g)
Stays closeKalamata olives → pitted green olives or capers (same quantity for capers reduce to 50 g)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 660
- Calories
- 16 g
- Protein
- 75 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 750 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this ahead?
Yes — make up to 24 hours ahead. Keep toasted pine nuts separate and add them just before serving to retain crunch.
How do I stop the salad going soggy?
Rinse the orzo after draining, don’t overdress (start with most of the dressing and add more to taste) and avoid chopping the roasted veg too small.
Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh?
You can, but fresh parsley and mint give a brighter finish. If using dried, halve the quantity and add during dressing so the flavour blooms.
Is there a gluten-free option?
Use a gluten-free small pasta (gluten-free orzo-style pasta) or substitute with cooked quinoa to keep a similar texture.
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