NEW RECIPE: Mom's Greek Orzo Salad

© Constantine William Spyrou

It's definitely been a longgg while since I posted last. Mainly because of college. I've been extremely busy most days, and this is the first time I've found in a while to relax and write a blog post, which I'm really happy about.

This blog post goes to home for me. It's my favorite recipe of all time that my mom made. The weeks that she made orzo salad, I would eat it for pretty much every meal because of how much I loved it! I tried making it in my apartment this past week, and I was able to replicate it pretty well. This is the version I came up with. It's really delicious and lasts a long time (given it's not eaten for 3 meals a day, although it definitely can be). This orzo salad packs in protein, vegetables, plenty of great flavor, and a close-to-home feel that I enjoy when I eat it. I get my childhood back. 

Recipe will serve up to 15 people.

Ingredients:

1 large package of orzo (about 8 oz uncooked)
2 cups feta cheese, crumbled
2 cups diced cucumbers
2 cups diced cherry tomatoes (sun-dried tomatoes are a great alternative to this as well)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced kalamata olives
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons garlic powder
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to season

Cooking/Assembling:

1. Cook the orzo to package specifications. This usually means boil in hot water with some salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil for around 9 minutes.
2. When the orzo is cooked, drain and add the remainder of your olive oil along with ample amounts of salt and pepper. Let cool for 30 minutes.
3. While the orzo is cooling, prepare your chopped vegetables and cheese. Once the orzo is cooled, mix all of your ingredients together well, and serve!

This is an extremely simple recipe that is so much fun to make and completely enjoyable. I have a great love for this dish, and plan to make it a lot more now that I'm in my apartment and can have a lot of freedom with cooking.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =)