While you're gathering ingredients, prepare all your vegetables: dice the red onion into 1/4-inch pieces, peel and dice the cucumber into 1/2-inch cubes, dice the red bell pepper, halve the cherry tomatoes, and roughly chop the basil, almonds, and kalamata olives. Crumble the feta into bite-sized pieces. Next, make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dill, parsley, oregano, sugar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a bowl until emulsified. Set the dressing aside—I find making it first allows the flavors to meld while you cook the orzo.

Heat the butter and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter foams, add the orzo and diced red onion, stirring constantly for 3-5 minutes until the orzo turns golden brown and fragrant. This toasting step is crucial—it deepens the nutty flavor of the pasta and prevents it from becoming mushy later.

Pour in the chicken broth, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, stirring well to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender but still has a slight firmness and most of the liquid is absorbed. The pasta will continue to absorb residual moisture as it cools, so aim for a slightly soupy consistency at the end of cooking.

Transfer the cooked orzo to a large bowl and spread it out to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to release steam—this prevents the pasta from becoming mushy. While the orzo cools, cut the corn kernels off the cob by standing each ear upright and carefully slicing downward with a sharp knife.

Once the orzo has cooled completely, add the corn kernels, diced cucumber, red bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, and drained garbanzo beans to the bowl. Pour the dressing from Step 1 over the mixture and fold gently until all ingredients are evenly coated. I always use a rubber spatula and fold from the bottom up to avoid breaking the delicate pasta. Let the salad sit for 5-10 minutes for flavors to meld.

Gently fold in the chopped almonds, kalamata olives, basil, and crumbled feta cheese. Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed—remember that the feta adds saltiness, so taste before adding more salt. Serve at room temperature or chilled, depending on preference.