Vegan Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Name: Vegan Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups dried orzo; 1/2 cup red onion (, diced small ); 1 large English cucumber (quartered into triangles ); 1 pint grape tomatoes (, halved); 2/3 cup kalamata olives (, halved or left whole); 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts (, drained and quartered); 1/2 cup chopped basil (+ more for topping); 1/2 cup vegan feta; 1/2 cup olive oil (, extra virgin); 5 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (, more to taste); 1 tablespoon dijon mustard; 2.5 teaspoons agave nectar (or preferred sweetener); 2-3 teaspoons dried oregano; 1 teaspoon granulated garlic (or 1 clove fresh, minced); 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional); 3/4 teaspoon sea salt (, more to taste); Fresh-cracked pepper (to taste)

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This Vegan Mediterranean Orzo Salad is the perfect summertime dish! It's veggie-packed and filled with fresh, zesty flavors that will keep them coming back for more. It'll be ready in 30 minutes or less, too!

Overhead view of a fully assembled orzo salad in a white bowl.

This Vegan Mediterranean Orzo Salad will be a hit at your next barbecue, picnic, or potluck. It's the perfect summer side that goes well with just about everything. Everyone will love it!

But, you don't need a special occasion to make this orzo salad. It goes well with weeknight meals and it's wonderful for meal-prepping. Plus, it's easy to customize and you can change it up every time to keep it fun!

Ingredients, Notes, and Substitutions

Before you head to the recipe card below, here are some extra notes about the ingredients and some substitutions ideas to try:

Ingredients to make orzo salad on a table top.

Orzo - if you don't have orzo, you can use ditalini, elbow, or orecchiette pasta.
Red onion - you can use sliced green onion or omit it altogether. If you want to tone down the onion flavor, you can soak the diced pieces in cold water with a few teaspoons of lemon juice for 10 minutes. Then just drain before use.
Cucumber - I used an English cucumber, but you can also use 2 Persian cucumbers or a standard cucumber.
Tomatoes - I used grape, but cherry tomatoes work well, too. If you don't like tomatoes, you can use sliced or diced red bell pepper.
Olives - kalamata goes well here, but you can use any type that you have on hand. If you don't like olives, you can add 2-3 tablespoons of capers.
Artichoke Hearts - if you don't have them, hearts of palm will be a nice replacement.
Fresh Herbs - basil, parsley, dill, or mint are all great choices. If you use mint or dill, you may want to reduce the amount by half so it doesn't overpower the dish.
Vegan Feta - you can also use vegan shredded parmesan, mozzarella, or cubed cheese.

How to make Vegan Mediterranean Orzo Salad

This salad is a cinch to put together. Here's how you do it:

3 process photos showing how to whisk dressing and tossing it with the ingredients.

Cook the orzo according to package directions. Rinse, then drain well and drizzle with oil. Set aside.
To make the dressing, whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl.
To put it all together, add the orzo, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, artichokes, and basil to a large bowl. Pour in the dressing and toss to combine. Add half of the vegan feta and gently toss again. Top with the remaining feta and extra basil.

Closeup view of orzo salad in a white bowl with serving spoons on the side.

Orzo Salad Success Tips

This Mediterranean Orzo Salad is fool-proof and is so easy to make. Here are some tips to help you along:

The dressing is on the zesty side which I love, but it's easily adjusted by taste. You can reduce the zestiness, by cutting the vinegar, dijon, and lemon down a bit. If you do that, I would suggest, reducing the oil to ⅓ cup.
Don't overcook the orzo or it'll be too soft for the salad. I like to cook it al dente so it holds its shape and doesn't break down.

Recipe FAQs

Is orzo the same as rice?

Orzo looks very similar to rice with its thin, oval-shaped appearance, but it's actually made with wheat-based flour and it's considered a type of small-shaped pasta called "pastina" or "little pasta". Even though rice and orzo look the same you can't interchange them in many recipes because they cook up differently and yield a different texture

Is there a gluten-free version of orzo

It may be harder to find, but there are various brands that carry gluten-free orzo pasta such as De Cecco, DeLallo, and Jovial. If you can't find them at your local grocer, you can find them online.

More summer recipes to try

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