Home › Recipes › Salads and Sides

Spinach Orzo Salad

Snejana Andreeva - 1

By Snejana Andreeva

on May 12, 2023, Updated Feb 19, 2025

Add as a preferred source on Google - 2

My Spinach Orzo Salad is a delicious blend of Mediterranean flavors inspired by spanakopita. Combining 🧀 feta, spinach, and 🌿 dill with orzo pasta creates a comforting and irresistible dish. Despite its rice-like appearance, orzo is actually a wheat-based pasta that cooks quickly and offers a silky texture. This recipe is a delightful twist on traditional pasta dishes, perfect for a quick and flavorful meal.

  • Why You’ll Love Spinach Orzo Salad
  • How to Prepare Spinach Orzo Salad
  • Nonna’s Tip 🥬
  • Variations and Substitutions for Spinach Orzo Salad
  • Similar Recipes
  • Best Served With
  • Common Questions
  • Spinach Orzo Salad Recipe

Why You’ll Love Spinach Orzo Salad

The combination of spinach and 🧀 feta is one of my favorites, and I love it in spanakopita, which is what inspired me to make this dish. This recipe is perfect for busy 🌙 weeknights because you can throw it together quickly with a few pantry staples. Whether served as a comforting side dish or a satisfying main course, this recipe is sure to become a favorite in your recipe rotation, offering a delicious and healthy meal that’s both satisfying and enjoyable for the whole family.

How to Prepare Spinach Orzo Salad

💦 Cook orzo in salted water until al dente. Use very salty water to flavor the orzo. Add orzo to boiling salted water.

🔥 Warm oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook onions for 2-3 minutes, then add garlic and cook until softened.

🥬 Add frozen chopped spinach to the pan and cook until thawed and the pan is dry.

🥘 Drain cooked orzo, add it to the pan, and then stir.

🌿 Crumble in the feta and dill. Stir until feta is warmed through. Serve the Spinach Orzo Salad and enjoy!

Nonna’s Tip 🥬

Feel free to use any pastina shape or even rice of choice. If you are gluten-free you can use a gluten-free pasta or rice.

Spinach and Feta Orzo - 3

Variations and Substitutions for Spinach Orzo Salad

Feel free to mix and match these variations to create your own version of Spinach Orzo Salad! Remember that changing ingredients may require adjustments in quantities, cooking times, and seasoning to achieve the desired taste and texture.

  1. Instead of spinach, you can use other leafy greens like kale, Swiss chard, or arugula.
  2. Add more vegetables such as diced 🍅 tomatoes , roasted red peppers, or sun-dried tomatoes.
  3. Replace dill with other fresh 🌿 herbs such as parsley, basil, cilantro, or mint.
  4. Substitute orzo with other grains such as couscous, quinoa, rice, or farro.
  5. Sprinkle some red pepper flakes on top of the Spinach Orzo Salad for a touch of 🔥 heat.

Similar Recipes

A close-up of a white bowl filled with creamy Lemon Feta Orzo pasta, mixed with herbs and small pieces of cheese, with two wooden utensils resting in the dish. - 4 A close-up of a white bowl filled with creamy Lemon Feta Orzo pasta, mixed with herbs and small pieces of cheese, with two wooden utensils resting in the dish. - 5

Lemon Feta Orzo

15 mins

A bowl of Hidden Veggie Orzo Soup with a yellow broth, garnished with chopped herbs, and a wooden spoon resting inside the bowl. - 6 A bowl of Hidden Veggie Orzo Soup with a yellow broth, garnished with chopped herbs, and a wooden spoon resting inside the bowl. - 7

Hidden Veggie Orzo Soup

1 hr 5 mins

A close-up of a spoonful of creamy orzo pasta with chunks of chicken and zucchini, held above a glass bowl of the same dish. A baking dish with more of the casserole is in the background. - 8 A close-up of a spoonful of creamy orzo pasta with chunks of chicken and zucchini, held above a glass bowl of the same dish. A baking dish with more of the casserole is in the background. - 9

Lemon Orzo Bake

50 mins

A bowl of Orzo Pasta Salad with chopped red and green bell peppers, red onions, fresh herbs, and a light dressing, garnished with sprigs of oregano on a white background. - 10 A bowl of Orzo Pasta Salad with chopped red and green bell peppers, red onions, fresh herbs, and a light dressing, garnished with sprigs of oregano on a white background. - 11

Orzo Pasta Salad

18 mins

Best Served With

  • Grilled chicken, lamb chops, or roasted salmon
  • Roasted vegetables such as asparagus, eggplant, or zucchini
  • Crusty bread like my No Knead Peasant Bread or garlic breadsticks to soak up any extra sauce

Common Questions

I use Redmond Real Salt , please note that depending on the salt you use, your dish may be less or more salty. Salt is to taste so please always taste and adjust as you cook.

Be sure to purchase a block of feta in brine. Please do not use crumbled feta, as the taste and quality is never as good.

If you don’t like feta, finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano would be lovely.

This Spinach Orzo Salad makes for a delicious warm side and can accompany any protein of choice, such as grilled chicken, shrimp, or anything you enjoy!

A New Recipe Card!!

  1. Check off each step in instructions!
  2. Add ingredients to your shopping list!

Video

Equipment

  • ▢ Large Pot
  • ▢ Redmond Real Salt
  • ▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
  • ▢ Liquid Measuring Cup
  • ▢ Nakiri Knife
  • ▢ Cutting Board

Ingredients

  • ▢ salt , to taste
  • ▢ 1 cup orzo , (8 ounces/190 grams)
  • ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ▢ 2 small onions , finely diced
  • ▢ 4 cloves garlic , minced
  • ▢ 1 cup spinach , chopped and frozen (100 grams)
  • ▢ 100 grams feta , (about 3/4 cup) measure with your heart
  • ▢ ¼ cup dill , finely chopped + fresh

Instructions

  • ▢ Cook the orzo in salted water until al dente. Note: the water should be as salty as the sea as it’s your only chance to flavor the orzo. Salt the water after it comes to a boil, stir, and add in the orzo.
  • ▢ In the meantime, warm the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and continue to cook until softened, about another 2 minutes.
  • ▢ Add the frozen chopped spinach to the pan and cook until fully thawed. The pan should be dry when you slide a wooden spoon through the mixture.
  • ▢ Drain the cooked orzo from the water and add it into the pan. Stir.
  • ▢ Crumble in the feta and dill. Stir until the feta has warmed through, serve, and enjoy!

My Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Spinach Orzo Salad

Equipment

  • Large Pot
  • Redmond Real Salt
  • Measuring Cups + Spoons
  • Liquid Measuring Cup
  • Nakiri Knife
  • Cutting Board

Ingredients

  • salt to taste
  • 1 cup orzo (8 ounces/190 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 small onions finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup spinach chopped and frozen (100 grams)
  • 100 grams feta (about 3/4 cup) measure with your heart
  • ¼ cup dill finely chopped + fresh

Instructions

  • Cook the orzo in salted water until al dente. Note: the water should be as salty as the sea as it’s your only chance to flavor the orzo. Salt the water after it comes to a boil, stir, and add in the orzo.
  • In the meantime, warm the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and continue to cook until softened, about another 2 minutes.
  • Add the frozen chopped spinach to the pan and cook until fully thawed. The pan should be dry when you slide a wooden spoon through the mixture.
  • Drain the cooked orzo from the water and add it into the pan. Stir.
  • Crumble in the feta and dill. Stir until the feta has warmed through, serve, and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Spinach Orzo Salad https://themodernnonna.com/spinach-orzo-salad/ May 12, 2023