By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 3, 2026
Serves 8
240 cal · 15 min
Chilled Orzo Salad
Recipe GLPR8cf9716ab472fc
A refreshing Italian-style pasta salad featuring tender orzo tossed with crisp vegetables, briny olives, and capers, then dressed in zesty Italian vinaigrette. Perfect as a light side dish or served chilled for warm days.
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Ingredients
3 cups cooked orzo pasta
1/2 cup baby spinach, julienned
1 large Roma tomato, diced
3/4 cup black olives, halved
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1/4 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 to 3/4 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions
Cook the orzo pasta according to the package directions. While the orzo cooks, prepare the spinach by julienning it into thin strips, dice the Roma tomato, halve the black olives, drain the capers, and finely chop the fresh parsley.
Drain the cooked orzo and transfer it to a medium bowl. Add the prepared spinach, diced tomato, halved olives, drained capers, and chopped parsley to the orzo.
Pour the Italian salad dressing over the mixture and gently toss until all ingredients are evenly coated. Sprinkle the shredded Parmesan cheese over the top and toss lightly to combine.
Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld and chill thoroughly.
Comments
All ingredients are routine items at Charlotte chains—orzo, spinach, tomato, black olives, and parmesan are pantry staples at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, or Walmart; capers and parsley are easy finds at any major grocer. Cost per serving runs around $0.80–$1.20, held down by bulk orzo and plain vinaigrette. The stated 15 minutes ignores cooking time for the orzo itself (8–10 minutes) and chilling, making the real timeline closer to 25 minutes active plus 30 minutes chill time, which isn't realistic for a weeknight unless you prep ahead. The dish reheats poorly and is best same-night, and it feeds a family well with minimal fussiness, though it benefits from assembly rather than constant attention.
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