There is great texture and big flavor in this Orzo Grape Feta Salad with spinach and balsamic. This pretty orzo pasta salad is great side dish choice for any summer meal.
I’ve been making this light, breezy, and beautiful Orzo Grape Feta Salad for ages and I love it just as much today as the first time I made it. It is delicious year round but I especially love it in the summer and serve it with pretty much anything that comes off our grill.
Cooked orzo is cooled and combined with baby spinach, red grapes, toasted walnuts, and crumbled feta and the whole thing is tossed with a simple balsamic dressing. This texture and flavor combo has me craving this orzo spinach salad on a regular basis.
Ingredients
For the Orzo Spinach Salad
- orzo
- red grapes
- fresh baby spinach
- diced red onion
- crumbled feta cheese
Even though orzo looks like rice it is actually pasta and you’ll find it in the dry pasta section of your grocery store. For the full scoop on orzo check this article on Good Housekeeping.
For the Balsamic Dressing
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- lemon
- minced garlic
- garlic powder
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- walnuts
How to Make Orzo Grape Feta Salad
This is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. You’ll find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Cook the orzo according to the package directions. Rinse it with cold water and then drain it very well and set it aside while you prep the other ingredients.
- Cut the grapes in half and mince up your red onion.
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Combine the well drained and cooled orzo, onion, baby spinach, the dressing, and about half of the grapes and feta, reserving the rest to garnish the top of the salad so it will be beau-tee-ful!
- Toss the salad and then top it with the remaining grapes, feta, and toasted walnuts.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Follow the directions as written, adding everything except the walnuts, then cover and chill it up to 24 hours. Add the toasted walnuts just before serving.
I highly recommend making this salad ahead of time and letting it sit in the fridge for a hour or more since the flavor and texture only improve with a little chilling time. In fact, the leftovers will be just as tasty since the salad holds up incredibly well in the fridge overnight. Try topping it with some sliced, grilled chicken for lunch or an easy dinner the next day. Heaven.
More Orzo Recipes You’ll Love
- Orzo Salad with Spinach and Feta
- One-Pot Lemon Chicken with Orzo
- Creamy Orzo with Mushrooms and Parmesan
- Almond Rice Pilaf
Orzo, Grape, Feta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound orzo pasta
- 2 cups red grapes, halved
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup walnuts
Instructions
- Cook orzo according to package directions. Rinse with cool water and drain well. Transfer to a large serving bowl and set aside.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place walnuts in a small dish and bake for 5 minutes or until warm and lightly toasted. Remove from the oven, coarsely chop, and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, garlic powder, and salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
- Add the half of the grapes, all of the baby spinach, and all of the red onion to the serving bowl with the orzo. Add the dressing and half of the feta and toss well to distribute the dressing. Top with remaining grapes, feta, and chopped walnuts. Serve.
Make-Ahead Instructions
- Follow as directed above but don't add the walnuts. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Top with walnuts just before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
This recipe was originally published on August 31, 2013 and has been updated with new text and images.
Adapted from a recipe by ValSoCal.
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I make your orzo/red pepper/spinach/feta salad all the time. I am puzzled by the measurements for the dressing for the orzo/spinach /grape/feta salad. How does a tablespoon of oil and a tablespoon of vinegar suffice for a pound of orzo, when the dressing for the orzo/pepper salad has 1/3 c oil and 1/4 c vinegar for 2 cups of orzo?
The volume of the dressing is less for this recipe but the balsamic vinegar makes it more powerful than the very light dressing for the other orzo pasta salad recipe. If you’d like it more heavily dressed you can double it and use as much as you’d like.
This is a favorite with everyone in my family. I top it off with a sliced grilled chicken breast and it’s a great summer meal!
Valerie, I just love the flavors you combine in your dishes. There’s something about all of your recipes that just SPEAKS to me… at the risk of sounding weird. This recipe is no exception. Absolutely love!
Right back atcha Georgia. I love your stuff!
This salad looks beautiful, healthy, and delicious. Very mediterranean style. I will definitely be saving this to try in the future.
Thanks Michele! Be sure to let me know what you think if you try it 🙂
This salad has never looked better. Wow, I want some right now. Thanks Val, you made my day!
It is a wonderful salad Val. Thank you for inspiring me!
Thank you Cathy! Have a fantastic weekend 🙂
I love a salad like this with grapes and feta, you’re right, the perfect weekend take-to-a-party dish. The dressing also sounds delish with the right amounts of light spice. Pinning!