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A white bowl of orzo salad with peaches, feta and rocket.

Peach and Feta Orzo Salad (Risoni Salad) - AU Cups

Robyn
With juicy peaches, salty feta and peppery rocket (arugula), this easy orzo salad recipe is perfect for summer!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Salad, sides
Cuisine International
Servings 4 people
Calories 503 kcal

Equipment

  • Medium pan for cooking the orzo.
  • Tray / plate for cooling the orzo.
  • Small bowl / jar for mixing the vinaigrette.
  • Large bowl for tossing the salad together / serving.

Ingredients
  

  • c orzo / risoni
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 peaches pitted and diced
  • 2 Lebanese / Persian cucumbers deseeded and cubed
  • ½ small red onion thinly sliced
  • 125 g feta cubed
  • 2 c rocket
  • 4 tablespoons fresh basil chopped

Dressing:

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • salt
  • black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil, add the teaspoon of salt then add the orzo. Cook the orzo according to the packet directions.
  • Drain the orzo, run it under cold water, drain again and then spread it out on a plate or tray to cool - this helps to stop it from sticking together.

Make the dressing:

  • In a small bowl whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper together.

Combine the salad:

  • In a large bowl, toss the cooled cooked orzo with the chopped peaches, cucumber, red onion, feta, arugula / rocket and chopped basil.
  • Drizzle over the dressing and toss gently to combine – don’t toss too much otherwise the feta will break down.
  • Check for seasoning, adding a little more salt and black pepper if needed.
  • Serve straight away, or place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to allow the flavours to develop.
  • Best served at room temperature.

Notes

Make ahead/storage

Fridge: store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Any longer and the vegetables can become watery. If you do need to refrigerate the salad, bring it to room temperature before serving – the cool mutes the flavours and this will let them sing!
Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
Orzo – also known as risoni in Australia. Substitute with another small pasta like small macaroni or ditalini.
·      Olive oil – use extra virgin olive oil for the best flavour.
·      Lemon juice – fresh lemon juice adds a citrus zing to the salad. Substitute with red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
·      Peaches – yellow peaches or white peaches – although yellow peaches provide more of a contrast of colours! You can substitute with nectarines.
·      Cucumbers - Lebanese / Persian cucumbers, deseeded and cubed.
·      Red onion – this adds a fresh bite to the salad, and red onion is less sharp than other varieties. Substitute with 2-3 onions / green onions / scallions, finely chopped.
·      Feta cheese – or goat’s cheese.
·      Baby arugula/ rocket – substitute with baby spinach
Fresh basil - substitute with parsley or mint.

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 15gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 958mgPotassium: 551mgFiber: 4gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 937IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 222mgIron: 2mg
Keyword peach salad, salad with orzo and feta

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