This Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp is bright, lemony, packed with herbs, and incredibly hearty and filling. It comes together in under 40 minutes and with simple ingredients like orzo, shrimp, fresh herbs and vegetables.
For more seafood-based salads, try my Tuna and White Bean Salad or my Mediterranean Salmon Salad with Capers.
Orzo Salad with Shrimp: Recipe at a Glance
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings
4 People
Calories*
449 kcal
Difficulty
Easy
Main Ingredients
Orzo, shrimp, cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, spices, lemon juice, olive oil, olives and feta cheese.
Technique
Boiling pasta, marinating and cooking shrimp, making a vinaigrette and assembling a salad.
*Calories are estimated
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s Incredibly Easy to Make: simple prep, quick-cooking shrimp, and orzo that comes together in minutes.
- Light Main or Hearty Side: This recipe works in so many different ways. Enjoy it as a light main, or hearty side. Or as a filling lunch or for meal prep.
- Tested and Works: Groceries are expensive! All my Salad Recipes are tested by me, my team or recipe testers before posting.
Ingredients
This recipe comes together with a handful of fresh ingredients and pantry staples. Here is what you will need:
- Orzo: A rice-shaped pasta that gives this salad body; you can substitute with small pasta like ditalini or even pearl couscous.
- Large Shrimp: I prefer use larger shrimp in this recipe, just because they are meatier and more satisfying. Frozen, uncooked shrimp are ideal. Don’t use pre-cooked shrimp here, as maintaining and cooking them a second time will turn them tough. Make sure to try my Mediterranean Shrimp Rice Bowls or Old-Bay Shrimp Skewers too.
- Cucumbers: I recommend using Persian cucumbers here. If you only have a large English cucumber, I suggest peeling it and removing some of the seed cavity to avoid having a watery salad.
- Cherry Tomatoes: I like the addition of sliced cherry or grape tomatoes. Don’t use large slicer tomatoes; they will just make the salad wet and messy.
- Fresh Herbs: A combination of fresh parsley and fresh dill give this salad a vibrancy that’s unmistakably Eastern Mediterranean.
- Olives: I almost always reach for Kalamata Olives. You can use pitted olives. Or use whole olives and remove the pits yourself. I find whole olives taste better than pitted olives, but that’s just a personal preference, and you do what works best for you! I use Kalamata olives in so many recipes: Mediterranean Pasta Salad and Greek Chicken Salad.
- Feta Cheese: Greek feta cheese is the way to go! It’s creamy and the sourness really plays nicely with the sweetness from the other ingredients. You can certainly use goat cheese here too, but creamy and salty Feta just makes sense. Try my Cucumber Radish Feta Salad, Traditional Greek Salad (Horiatiki) and my Greek Butter Bean salad if you like feta.
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make this Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp Recipe
Step 1. Cook the Orzo. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until just al dente according to package directions. Drain well and transfer to a large serving bowl. Toss with olive oil to prevent sticking and let cool slightly.
Step 2. Season the Shrimp. In a bowl, toss the shrimp with olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
Step 3. Cook the Shrimp. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1½–2 minutes per side, until pink, opaque, and just cooked through. Remove from heat immediately to avoid overcooking.
Step 4. Make the Vinaigrette. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, grated garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
Step 5. Assemble the Salad. To the bowl with the cooked orzo, add cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, dill, olives, and feta (if using). Top with the cooked shrimp.
Step 6. Toss and Serve. Drizzle with the lemon vinaigrette and gently toss until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon, salt, or pepper as needed. Serve slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Pairing and Menu Ideas
This salad can stand on its own as it is quite balanced with protein, vegetables and carbs. But I do like to serve it with some Homemade Greek Pita or even a crusty Whole Wheat Loaf.
It works well for a crowd. I like to serve it at BBQs and gatherings along with other hearty salads like my Bean Antipasto Salad, Tuna White Bean Salad and Greek Chicken Butter Bean Salad.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overcook the shrimp. This is the number one issue I see. They only need a couple of minutes per side. As soon as they turn pink and opaque, pull them off the heat.
- Cool the orzo slightly before assembling. If it’s too hot, it can wilt the herbs and make the vegetables soggy.
- Emulsify the vinaigrette well. Whisk vigorously or shake in a jar so it’s creamy and evenly distributed.
- Let it rest before serving. Even 15–20 minutes allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Other Additions: For extra depth, consider adding a pinch of red pepper flakes or a spoonful of capers for more briny punch. You can even add some artichoke hearts or roasted red pepper. Red wine vinegar works well instead of the lemon juice too. If you are looking for some inspiration and flavor combinations, check out my Mediterranean Salad Recipes.
Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can cook the orzo and shrimp up to a day in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator. Assemble and dress the salad just before serving for the best texture.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors actually deepen over time, but you may want to add a squeeze of fresh lemon before serving.
Absolutely. It’s delicious slightly warm, at room temperature, or fully chilled, which makes it ideal for meal prep.
Other Salad Recipes
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Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Shrimp
Ingredients
For the Orzo
- 1 cup Dry Orzo
- Salt for the pasta water
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
For the Shrimp
- 1 lb Large shrimp – Peeled and deveined
- 1½ tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Lemon zest
- 2 Garlic cloves (minced)
- ½ teaspoon Dry oregano
- ½ teaspoon Smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
For the Lemon Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Garlic clove (grated)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Salad
- 1 cup Cucumber (diced)
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes (halved)
- ¼ Small red onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 tablespoon Fresh parsley (chopped)
- 2 tablespoon Fresh dill (chopped)
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives (sliced)
- ¼ cup Feta cheese (crumbled) – Optional
Instructions
- Cook the Orzo. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until just al dente according to package directions. Drain well and transfer to a large serving bowl. Toss with olive oil to prevent sticking and let cool slightly.
- Season the Shrimp. In a bowl, toss the shrimp with olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Cook the Shrimp. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1½–2 minutes per side, until pink, opaque, and just cooked through. Remove from heat immediately to avoid overcooking.
- Make the Vinaigrette. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, grated garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
- Assemble the Salad. To the bowl with the cooked orzo, add cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, dill, olives, and feta (if using). Top with the cooked shrimp.
- Toss and Serve. Drizzle with the lemon vinaigrette and gently toss until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon, salt, or pepper as needed. Serve slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Notes
- Orzo: A rice-shaped pasta that gives this salad body; you can substitute with small pasta like ditalini or even pearl couscous.
- Large Shrimp: I prefer use larger shrimp in this recipe, just because they are meatier and more satisfying. Frozen, uncooked shrimp are ideal. Don’t use pre-cooked shrimp here, as maintaining and cooking them a second time will turn them tough.
- Cucumbers: I recommend using Persian cucumbers here. If you only have a large English cucumber, I suggest peeling it and removing some of the seed cavity to avoid having a watery salad.
- Cherry Tomatoes: I like the addition of sliced cherry or grape tomatoes. Don’t use large slicer tomatoes; they will just make the salad wet and messy.
- Fresh Herbs: A combination of fresh parsley and fresh dill give this salad a vibrancy that’s unmistakably Eastern Mediterranean.
- Olives: I almost always reach for Kalamata Olives. You can use pitted olives. Or use whole olives and remove the pits yourself. I find whole olives taste better than pitted olives, but that’s just a personal preference, and you do what works best for you!
- Feta Cheese: Greek feta cheese is the way to go! It’s creamy and the sourness really plays nicely with the sweetness from the other ingredients. You can certainly use goat cheese here too, but creamy and salty Feta just makes sense.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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