Mediterranean flavors are a favorite here, and Costco’s prepared foods section often has items that fit the bill. The bright crunch of fresh vegetables, the salty bite of olives, and creamy feta make for an irresistible combination. After hearing a lot of chatter about the Costco Mediterranean Orzo Salad, we decided to try it ourselves and then recreate a copycat at home.
You’ll usually find the salad near other prepared items like yakisoba. It’s tasty overall, but we noticed a few shortcomings—and it isn’t always available—so we developed a homemade version to match price and flavor. The results were excellent.
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What’s in Costco Mediterranean Orzo Salad?
Costco’s Mediterranean Orzo Salad is a convenient option for potlucks and barbecues. The salad features orzo pasta, kalamata olives, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, and feta tossed in a light lemon vinaigrette. It comes in 1.5–2 pound containers, and the warehouse price is typically around $6.49 per pound.
But…Is It Good?
We enjoy the Mediterranean flavor profile: the olives provide a satisfying saltiness and the feta is well-balanced rather than overpowering. Adding a bit of Calabrese salami gave the salad an enjoyable spicy note.
However, there were a couple of drawbacks. The orzo in the prepared version was a touch too al dente in places, and it didn’t soften much after refrigeration. We also preferred chopped tomatoes—quartering them improves texture and distribution, though keeping them whole likely prolongs shelf life. When you make it at home, you can adjust texture and seasoning exactly how you like.
With a few tweaks, the salad becomes even better than the store-bought version. Best part: our copycat comes together in under 30 minutes.
Let’s Talk Price
We calculated the cost of our homemade version using a standard recipe-costing method. Our final cost came out to about $7.57 per pound—roughly a dollar more than Costco’s $6.49 per pound. That’s close, and you can reduce your cost by swapping Calabrese salami for regular salami or pepperoni without sacrificing much flavor.
Copycat Costco Mediterranean Orzo Recipe Ingredients
The main components of Costco’s salad are:
- Orzo pasta
- Baby spinach
- Kalamata olives
- Cherry tomatoes
- Feta cheese
- Calabrese salami (or a spicy cured meat)
- Light lemon vinaigrette
Pro tip: If you can’t find Calabrese salami, pepperoni or regular salami works well. We used orange Sun Gold tomatoes in our version, but any cherry or grape tomatoes cut into quarters will work fine.
One detail we appreciated in Costco’s salad was the even distribution of feta. They incorporate some feta into the dressing, which helps spread the cheese flavor evenly through the pasta. Our recipe follows that same idea to achieve a balanced feta-to-orzo ratio.
Copycat Costco Mediterranean Orzo Salad Recipe
Kristen
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
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo until just slightly al dente, about 10 minutes.
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While the orzo cooks, whisk together the vinaigrette: lemon juice, white wine vinegar, minced garlic, salt, and sugar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing emulsifies, then stir in 2 tablespoons of crumbled feta.
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Drain the orzo and transfer it to a large bowl. While still warm, add the baby spinach so it wilts slightly.
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Pour the vinaigrette over the orzo and toss to coat evenly.
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Fold in the kalamata olives, quartered grape tomatoes, diced salami (or pepperoni), and the remaining crumbled feta. Mix thoroughly.
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Serve warm or chilled. The salad will keep in the refrigerator for about three days.
What Do You Think?
Do you enjoy the Costco Mediterranean Orzo Salad? If you’d like us to recreate other Costco prepared foods, tell us which ones in the comments below.
