Greek Orzo Pasta Salad

I love Greek food.  I remember the very first time I ever had it.  My then-fiancee (now husband) and I were in Indiana visiting his older brother, and he took us to a favorite Greek restaurant for lunch.  He ordered a combination plate for us all to share, so I got a good sampling of some of the more popular Greek dishes: spanakopita, dolmades, moussaka, kababs, and salad.  I remember loving all of it, and especially noted the salad, because it was so simple and, I thought, would be easy to make at home.  I was right, and have for many years made different versions of Greek salad at home.

There are a lot of versions out there. Some contain lettuce, others spinach, and still others, no greens at all.  Some are a simple mix of tomatoes, onions, cucumber and olives in a garlicky lemon and olive oil dressing, along with feta cheese.  It is this version that I most often make, because it keeps well for several days, and actually tastes better when it has been sitting in the fridge for a couple of days, allowing all the flavors to meld together.  To make it into more of a meal in itself than a side dish, I will sometimes add pasta, rice, or couscous.  The version I am sharing today uses orzo pasta, but it would be equally delicious with another small pasta.  I have made this exact version many times with couscous as well.

Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
Servings: about 4-6

Ingredients:

1 cup orzo pasta
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
1/2 of a large cucumber, peeled,  seeded and diced
1/4 cup diced red onion (about 1/4 of a medium sized onion)
1/2 cup kalamata olives, halved lengthwise (you could use regular black olives if you don't have kalamatas)
1/2 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained well and diced (note: I have  used both water-packed and marinated artichoke hearts before, but in this version, I used marinated)
1.5 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Dressing:
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small cloves garlic, minced finely
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Whisk dressing ingredients together and set aside.

2.  Cook orzo according to package directions.  Drain and rinse in a sieve under cold water and place in a large bowl.  Drain well after rinsing.

3.  Add tomatoes, cucumber, onions, olives, and artichoke hearts to orzo and toss well to incorporate.

4.  Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to mix completely.

5.  Add spinach and feta cheese and fold in gently.  Add additional salt and pepper if necessary.

This is best if it is made ahead and allowed to sit in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours.  Keep in mind that the spinach will wilt over time, so if you don't like that texture, you could keep the spinach separate and add it when serving.  To make a hearty lunch salad, you could add a can of well-drained albacore tuna, some diced cooked chicken, or shrimp.