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Summery, simple, and big on flavor, this Greek salmon is the weeknight dinner that tastes like summer. We’re talking juicy, well-seasoned salmon, an herby orzo salad packed with roasted peppers and tomatoes, and a salty-lemony feta that ties it all together. Make it on the grill or in a skillet. Either way, you’ll get charry edges, creamy feta, and fresh herbs in every bite.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Fast, colorful, and satisfying; works for meal prep or casual summer dinners.
- Grill or pan options with no special equipment needed.
- Charred lemon feta adds a wow factor!
- While the ingredient list is long, there are a lot of herbs, spices, vinegar, and oil being used. My hope is that these are items you already have on hand. And that all you’ll need to pick up from the market is fresh salmon and veggies.
Ingredient Notes
- Salmon: Skin-on helps protect delicate flesh and gives you crisp edges when seared. Look for bright, firm fillets.
- Marinade flavors: Balsamic + smoked paprika + oregano + shallot + garlic + olive oil. Note that smoked paprika isn’t traditional Greek, but adds sweet-smoky depth.
- Orzo Salad add-ins: Roasted red peppers for sweetness, juicy tomatoes, briny olives, creamy avocado, chickpeas for heft.
- Feta + charred lemons: Briefly grill or pan-sear lemon slices until caramelized; chop and toss with crumbled feta, herbs, and a splash of oil for a bright, salty topping.
Inspiration behind this recipe
Clearly I am very into these summery dinners filled with garden produce and herbs. I just can’t help it. When I have an abundance of fresh produce available to use, I can’t resist using it all…and sometimes all at once.
After yesterday’s oven fried mac and cheese bites, I figured something fresh, and oh so healthy, would be a nice switch up for today.
Enter this simple summery Greek salmon, loaded with produce and lemon feta. It’s the summertime dish that’s fast, fresh, healthy, so pretty, and obviously…so delicious. I couldn’t be more excited to share this recipe today!
Step by Step
Marinate the salmon. I seasoned it up in quite possibly one of my favorite seasoning blends. It’s a combination of balsamic vinegar, smoked paprika (not really Greek…but it’s one of my favorite spices), fresh oregano, shallots (KEY!), garlic (also KEY), and lots of olive oil. Mix, and let it sit while you get everything else for the salad together.
Cook the orzo: Boil until just tender; drain and toss warm with oil, herbs, peppers, tomatoes, olives, avocado, and chickpeas. Note: warm orzo absorbs flavor better. For the summery orzo, you’re really just tossing hot orzo with plenty of fresh herbs, roasted red peppers, chickpeas, tomatoes, olives, and avocado. Add a little olive oil and season this up with salt and pepper.
Char the lemons & make the feta: Sear lemon slices until lightly caramelized; chop and fold into feta with herbs and oil.
Cook the salmon: Grill or pan-sear until the exterior is lightly charred and the center turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork (visual doneness cues, not strict times). Grill the salmon until it’s just charring. At the very same time, grill the slices of lemon until caramelized. chop the lemon slices and toss with lots and lots of fresh herbs. Then toss the whole mix with the crumbled feta cheese and a splash of olive oil.
Assemble: Toss some lemon-feta through the orzo; plate with salmon and extra feta on top. I love to toss some of the lemon feta with the orzo salad. Next, spoon the orzo onto plates, add the salmon, and sprinkle on a generous amount of the lemon feta.
Simple and so good! And in my book, simple AND delicious, well that’s the name of the game when it comes to summer recipes.
This dish has become my personal go-to low-key dinner that’s satisfying, healthy, and in season. It’s also a great hearty recipe to incorporate into your weekly meal prep. Enjoy a delicious healthy dinner, or use it for lunches throughout the week. I like to make this when I know I’m having an “off” week, with very little recipe testing and photographing. Basically, my computer days.
Technique Tips
- Prevent sticking: Pat salmon dry; oil grates or pan; start skin-side down if using skin-on.
- Charred lemons: Aim for deep golden spots, not full black—too much char = bitter.
- Balanced orzo salad: Season the orzo while warm and taste after adding feta; you may need less salt because olives/feta are salty.
- No grill? Pan-sear or oven-bake—call this out clearly so readers don’t bounce (include both options in one place for scannability) .
Looking for other summer salmon recipes? Here are some favorites:
Cilantro Lime Salmon with Mango Salsa
Garlic Butter Creamed Spinach Salmon
Sesame Crusted Curried Salmon Burgers with Lemony Herbs
Lemon Parmesan Salmon with Corn Salad
Lastly, if you make this Greek salmon with lemon feta and orzo summer salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Greek Salmon with Lemon Feta and Orzo Summer Salad.
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 1527 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 (5-6 ounce) salmon fillets
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (or 1 tablespoon dried oregano)
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 lemons, sliced and seeds removed – use to your taste
- 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, dill, and or mint, chopped (I use a mix)
Orzo Summer Salad
- 3 cups cooked orzo
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup fresh basil, dill, and or chives, chopped (I use a mix)
- 1 roasted red pepper, chopped
- 1 (14 ounce) can chickpeas drained
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup green olives
- 1/2 cup cucumber
- 1 avocado, diced
Instructions
- 1. Place the salmon in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, paprika, oregano, shallot, garlic, and a pinch each of crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper. Rub the seasonings and oil evenly into flesh. Toss the lemon slices into the oil. 2. To make the salad. Add the orzo, olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, herbs, and a pinch each of crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to a large serving bowl. Add the chickpeas, red peppers, tomatoes, olives, and avocado, toss to combine.3. Heat your grill, grill pan, or skillet to medium high heat. Place the salmon on the grill, skin side down. Add the lemon slices. Cover and cook until skin is lightly charred, 4-5 minutes, flip the salmon and lemons, grill another 3-4 minutes until opaque. Remove everything from the grill. 4. Finely chop the lemon slices and mix them with the herbs, crumbled feta, and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add a couple of spoonfuls of the feta to the orzo salad. 5. Divide the salad between plates. Add the salmon and sprinkle with lemon feta. Top with lots of fresh herbs, and an extra squeeze of lemon, if desired. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on June 25, 2020
I made this last night for dinner and it was amazing!
Hi Rebecca,
Happy Labor Day! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! So glad it was enjoyed:)
So delicious!
Hi JoAnn,
Thanks for your comment and making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! Hope you’re off to a great week! ? xT
I made this on a camping trip and served 11 people. I did it on a Blackstone griddle but made the orzo inside my camping trailer. It was a huge hit and absolutely delicious- the only thing I omitted was the garlic because I forgot to bring it but otherwise I followed the recipe and just loved it.
Hey Judy,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for sharing your review and making this recipe. Love to hear that it was a winner! xxT
Can u make salad ahead ?!
Hey Holly,
Totally, that will work well for you! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
This was one of our most favorite meals of all time, and will definitely be making again. Cooked in the oven at 350 F until 125 F using meat thermometer as did not want to lose the marinade/rub when flipping on grill. Was perfect. The feta/lemon/rub mix at the end is outstanding!
Hey Missy,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!!☀️ xTieghan
With two of us in the kitchen, this went quickly and the result was delicious! Restaurant quality. Loved it.
Hi Genevieve,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a hit. Have the best week:) xx
This was delicious, definitely took a long time to make, but I never go by time estimates in general! The only thing I would change is adding in the chopped lemon after grilling… I’ve never cut up the actual rind of a lemon before for a dish, but even chopped small, the consistency stood out in each bite not in a good way and it seemed to add a bitter taste. Maybe this was a matter of not cooking for long enough? They were pretty soft and grilled a long time, so I’m not sure! Maybe zest or juice for us instead next time. 🙂
Hi Hannah,
Thank you so very much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Maybe try zest next time:) Happy Holidays!??
This is one of my favorite recipes, and I’m not even a salmon person. I rarely remake recipes because I always like trying something new, but after making this last summer I enjoyed it so much so had to revisit. I also just got back from Greece and am missing their cuisine, the cheese here is just not the same! I don’t have a grill so made the salmon in a skillet and turned out great. This did take me 2 hours in total. Most HBH recipes tend to take me 2-3x longer than what the recipe says. It’s very worth it though, delicious and healthy, and I have tons of leftovers.
Hey Lindsay,
Thanks a lot for trying out this recipe. I love to hear that it was enjoyed and hope you have the best week! xTieghan
This recipe was delicious!! Family loved it. It took me 1.5 hours to make this, not 20 mins. I suppose if I had all the ingredients washed and chopped beforehand, it would be faster. The Orzo salad took awhile. I used 1 cup dried orzo and got about 2.5 Cups cooked.
Also, I sliced the lemons 1/4″ and lost most of the fruit on the BBQ. Will slice thicker next time. Do they sit on top of the salmon until you flip?
I ended up having half the orzo salad leftover – it makes a lot! Forgot the avocado but didn’t miss it. Did not use all the feta/lemon/herb mix on salmon so next time will cut that down, but I did add it to the salad and of course, YUM, so maybe not! Thank you for this great summer dish. 🙂
Hey Anne,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Sorry this took you longer than expected. Yes, the lemon sits on top of the salmon. Have a great week:) xTieghan
I made this last night and it was so delicious! Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes. I’ve made so many and each is always amazing.
Hey Talia,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Thoroughly enjoyed this recipe! Sadly can’t have dairy and it was excellent even without!
Hey Alyssa,
Happy Weekend! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
This recipe sounds so delicious. Where does the cucumber go?
Hey Lydia,
You will add the cucumber to the salad in step 2. I hope you love the dish, let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Got all these beautiful ingredients home – to find out the grill is time to be replaced. I see in the recipe that you can cook it in the oven – what temperature and time frame would you cook it in the oven? Thanks an advanced , can’t wait to try it !
Hey Kristin,
I grilled mine, but if you need to use the oven I would bake at 350 for 15 minutes. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
In step 2, I’m guessing the orzo is already cooked?
Hey Andi,
Yes, the recipe calls for 3 cups of cooked orzo:) I hope you love the dish, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Making this right now, I already love it
Thank you so much Laura! xTieghan