Mediterranean flavors are always at the top of our list, and the warehouse is brimming with products to fit the bill. The fresh crunch of veggies mixed with the salty bite of olives and the creaminess of feta? Yes, please! After hearing all the buzz about the Costco Mediterranean Orzo Salad, we had to try it.
You’ll find this simple but flavor-packed pasta salad in the prepared foods section next to the yakisoba. While it delivers on taste, there were a couple of things we didn’t love—plus, it’s not always in stock! So, we set out to create a copycat version at home and see how we would fare regarding price and taste. I think we nailed it.
If you haven’t had it yet, Costco’s Mediterranean Orzo Salad is a great convenience food, especially for potlucks and BBQs. It’s made with orzo pasta (which looks like rice but is actually pasta!), kalamata olives, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, and feta, all tossed in a light lemon vinaigrette.
The warehouse has 1.5-2-pound containers for $6.49 a pound.
But…Is It Good?
We’re big fans of the Mediterranean flavors! The olives add a nice saltiness, and the feta is spot-on without overpowering. We even tossed in some Calabrese salami for an extra kick, which worked wonders.
That said, there were a couple of misses. The orzo was too al dente, almost like it had been frozen in the middle. It didn’t even soften up after a few days in the fridge. We also wish the tomatoes were chopped. Leaving them whole likely extends the shelf life, but chopped tomatoes would blend better with the salad. Luckily, if you make it at home, you can make it however you like.
As we enjoyed the salad, we considered how much better it could be with just a few tweaks—and without waiting for it to be in stock at Costco. So, we got to work on a copycat recipe, and after some trial and error, we nailed it.
Bonus: It’s ready in less than 30 minutes!
Let’s Talk Price
We wanted to see if we could whip up this recipe for the same price Costco charges, and while we didn’t quite match it, we came close! At just a dollar over, we’d call that a win. If you’re keeping an eye on your budget, swap out the Calabrese salami for standard pepperoni, and you’ll shave off a few bucks without losing that delicious flavor.
We used Budget Bytes’ method to determine recipe costs (this site has excellent meals, BTW). Our homemade version costs $7.57 per pound, close to Costco’s $6.49. With a few tweaks, like using regular salami or pepperoni, you can make it even cheaper than Costco’s version. Here’s how the costs for our copycat recipe break down.
Copycat Costco Mediterranean Orzo Recipe Ingredients
Costco’s version includes:
- Orzo pasta
- Baby spinach
- Kalamata olives
- Cherry tomatoes
- Feta cheese
- Calabrese salami (a spicy Italian favorite)
- A light lemon vinaigrette
Pro tip: If you can’t find Calabrese salami, pepperoni makes a great substitute. We used regular salami because that’s what we had on hand, and it still worked. Also, our tomatoes were orange Sun Golds, but any cherry or grape tomato will do the trick!
One thing we loved about Costco’s version was how every bite had feta in it. The secret? They mix some into the dressing, which spreads the cheesy goodness evenly. Follow our recipe, and you’ll get that perfect feta-to-pasta ratio.
Copycat Costco Mediterranean Orzo Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp feta cheese
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (from one lemon)
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 lb. orzo
- 5 oz. baby spinach
- 1 cup kalamata olives pitted
- 1 pint grape tomatoes quartered
- 3 oz. Calabrese salami or pepperoni diced
- 4 oz. feta cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the orzo until it’s just slightly al dente (about 10 minutes).
- While the pasta is cooking, make the vinaigrette: Whisk together lemon juice, white wine vinegar, garlic, salt, and sugar in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking until it emulsifies. Stir in crumbled feta.
- Once the pasta is done, drain it and toss it in a large bowl. While it’s still warm, add the spinach so it wilts slightly.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta and toss to coat.
- Add the olives, tomatoes, salami, and extra feta. Mix well.
- Serve warm or cold. The salad will keep for about three days in the fridge—if it lasts that long!
What Do You Think?
Do you like the Costco Mediterranean Orzo Salad? If you want us to develop other copycat Costco recipes, let us know which ones in the comments below.
