Greek-Fashion Risoni Salad with Lemon, Feta & Olives

January 7, 2025

1

This flavour-packed Greek-style risoni (orzo) pasta salad with lemon, olives, feta and chickpeas all wearing a lemon French dressing is filled with contemporary and scrumptious substances, and takes simply quarter-hour to arrange!

Close up of risoni salad in a serving bowl.

For a crowd-pleasing summer season salad recipe that’s excellent for BBQs, household get-togethers or makes a fast and straightforward dinner, you can not beat this Greek risoni salad.

Filled with crunchy greens, salty feta cheese and protein-rich chickpeas, all tossed in a contemporary lemon French dressing, risoni salad is SO flavourful and scrumptious, everybody will likely be coming again for seconds!

Risoni, often known as orzo, is a small oval-shaped pasta that does not take lengthy to cook dinner. It’s not solely scrumptious in risoni pasta salad, however this versatile ingredient makes a filling lemon hen orzo soup and essentially the most scrumptious pork meatballs with creamy tomato risoni that children love!

Why You are Going To Love This Recipe

Easy to make – there are not any sophisticated steps on this risoni pasta salad recipe.
Filled with flavour – the mix of scrumptious lemon risoni, Greek chickpea salad and lemon French dressing means there’s SO a lot flavour in each chew!
Versatile recipe – you’ll be able to simply alter the substances to make this salad fit your tastes. Vegan? Use vegetable inventory and omit the butter and feta cheese. Do not like olives? Depart them out. Do not have feta cheese handy? Substitute with goats cheese.
Simply made vegetarian – simply swap the hen inventory liquid for vegetable inventory liquid.

What You Want

This Mediterranean risoni salad is made with a handful of contemporary crunchy greens, risoni (orzo), lemon, feta, olives and some retailer cabinet staples.

Notice: Scroll to the recipe card on the backside for the substances portions and full detailed technique.

Olive oil (for cooking the risoni) – a daily olive oil is ok to make use of right here.
Olive oil (for the salad dressing) – common or further virgin olive oil.
Butter – you should utilize salted butter or unsalted butter, nevertheless I want to make use of unsalted butter to manage the salt ranges because the feta cheese and olives are salty and the inventory liquid additionally has added salt.
Pink onion – finely diced pink onion provides a stunning flavour. Don’t fret in the event you aren’t a fan of uncooked onions, it’s cooked with the pasta.
Risoni – often known as orzo, this small rice-sized pasta is nice for pasta salads. Or substitute with different small pasta shapes, rice or quinoa.
Hen inventory liquid – or use vegetable inventory if vegetarian.
Lemon juice and finely grated lemon zest – from one lemon. Contemporary lemon juice and zest provides a zesty, brilliant and contemporary flavour to the salad.
Flaked almonds – or use slivered almonds. Toasting them till flippantly golden actually brings out their flavour.
Chickpeas – canned chickpeas are a handy and economical manner of including protein to the salad.
Lebanese cucumber – or use half a continental cucumber.
Cherry or grape tomatoes – halved.
Kalamata olives – these olives are extra intensely flavoured than different black olives. I like to recommend utilizing pitted olives for ease.
Delicate feta cheese – I like to make use of a Danish fashion feta cheese on this salad, as it’s creamier than different forms of feta cheese.
Salt and pepper – to style.

Gear Required

Primary cooking tools is all that is required to make this contemporary and wholesome Greek risoni salad!

Saucepan – to cook dinner the risoni.
Small frying pan – for toasting the flaked almonds.
Massive bowl – to combine the salad in.
Jar with lid – for making the French dressing.

A serve of salad on a white plate with the bowl in the background.

Step By Step Directions

This simple risoni salad recipe takes simply quarter-hour to arrange! Make it forward and add the lemon dressing simply earlier than serving for the EASIEST wholesome lunch or dinner!

Notice: Scroll to the recipe card on the backside for the substances portions and full detailed technique.

Step 1 – Put together The Lemon Risoni (Orzo)

Soften the olive oil and butter in a saucepan. Add the pink onion and sauté till softened.

Add the risoni (orzo) and stir over the warmth for 1 minute to coat the grains.

The cooked onion and raw risoni in a saucepan.

Pour within the hen inventory liquid and lemon juice, and add the lemon zest and salt and pepper.

Simmer till the risoni is al dente. Drain any extra liquid.

The creamy cooked risoni in the saucepan.

Unfold the risoni out on a flat tray in an excellent layer then place within the fridge till chilly.

The grains of cooked pasta spread out on a tray to cool.

Step 2 – Toast The Almonds

Whereas the risoni is chilling, place the flaked almonds right into a small frying pan. Warmth over low warmth, stirring, till flippantly golden. Take care to not allow them to burn.

Flaked almonds toasted until golden in a small frying pan.

Step 3 -Assemble The Salad

Place the cooled risoni right into a giant bowl, loosening any chunks which are caught collectively.

Add the chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and two-thirds of the feta cheese.

The other salad ingredients added to the bowl.

Step 4 – Make The French dressing And Serve

Make the lemon French dressing: Place the olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper right into a jar or container with a lid and shake till effectively mixed.

Pour half of the dressing excessive of the salad and toss to coat. Style the salad and add further dressing if wanted.

Spoon the salad right into a serving bowl, sprinkle with the remaining feta cheese and the toasted flaked almonds and serve instantly.

Close up of the finished salad in a serving bowl with toasted flaked almonds and crumbled feta on top.

Professional Suggestions

Chilling Time – it is necessary to relax the cooked pasta in order that it companies up and is not gluggy. Break up any bigger chunks while you place it into the salad bowl.
If pressed for time – you’ll be able to place the risoni within the freezer to chill rapidly.
Toast flaked almonds fastidiously – as they will begin to burn simply.
Chickpeas – rinse and drain the chickpeas because the brine they’re packed in is salty, and can dilute that contemporary lemony French dressing!
Cooking the risoni (orzo) in inventory provides SO a lot flavour to the salad because the pasta absorbs all that scrumptious flavour because it cooks.
Including the dressing – go away the dressing off the salad till you are able to serve it.
Further add-ins – add cubed pink or inexperienced capsicum, a handful of peppery rocket, a grilled hen breast or leftover BBQ hen... the choices are countless!
Serving – for finest outcomes, serve the salad at room temperature.
Storing – retailer orzo salad in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 2 days.

Overhead shot of a healthy grain salad with crumbled feta on top.

FAQs

Is risoni a rice or pasta?

Regardless of wanting like giant grains of rice, risoni is definitely a kind of pasta (additionally referred to as orzo). It’s often known as risi (Italian for rice) or pasta a riso and can be known as orzo. Risoni is constituted of a combination of durum flour, semolina and water, then kneaded right into a dough earlier than being rolled flat and formed right into a oval-shaped pasta with its distinctive pointed ends. Risoni is nice for substituting in rice and different pasta dishes, or utilizing in hearty casseroles, soups and wholesome salads.

Can I make this salad gluten free?

Completely! Use rice or quinoa as an alternative of the risoni, and test that your inventory liquid is gluten free.

Can I freeze Greek risoni salad?

No. This salad will not be appropriate for freezing. It’s best assembled with the dressing added simply earlier than serving and served at room temperature.

Close up of Greek risoni salad on a white plate.

For extra scrumptious salads which are filled with flavour, take a look at these different fashionable recipes:

WANT EVEN MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my publication or comply with alongside on Fb or Instagram. And in the event you love baking, then please come and be part of my Fb cooking membership group or subscribe to my YouTube channel.