This quick and easy lemon orzo pasta salad recipe is a colorful summer side that goes with everything.
Orzo pasta, tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, red onion, and feta cheese are drizzled in a honey mustard vinaigrette for a fresh side that’s picnic and potluck perfect.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Cold, crisp, and brimming with tangy flavor, this salad is a keeper.
- Difficulty: 6 ingredients and 3 steps are all it takes for this summer stunner.
- Prep note: Assemble ahead and chill so the flavors blend even more.
- Budget tip: Bulk up the salad by adding garbanzo beans or cannellini beans.
Perfect Pasta Ingredients
Orzo: Orzo looks like larger grains of rice, but it’s a pasta shape. If it’s not available, use any other small pasta like elbows or shells.
Vegetables: Red, green, and yellow veggies make this dish so vibrant in color, but other colorful veggies like diced bell peppers, sliced black olives, chopped artichokes, and shredded carrots are great too.
Cheese: Feta is a crumbly, dry cheese that looks and tastes great in orzo pasta salad. Blue cheese crumbles and grated Parmesan are other great options.
Dressing: Fresh lemon juice will add the best flavor to the dressing, but bottled juice works. If using fresh lemons, zest a little of the peel for a garnish if desired.
How to Make Orzo Pasta Salad
- Cook, drain, and cool the orzo completely (full recipe below).
- Whisk dressing ingredients in a large bowl.
- Toss orzo and remaining ingredients in the bowl and chill until ready to serve.
- Garnish with extra feta cheese and parsley if desired.
Pasta Salad Perfection
- Cook orzo al dente as it will soften up as it absorbs the dressing.
- Chill the salad at least an hour for the brightest flavor.
Orzo’s Optimal Storage
- Keep orzo pasta salad in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 3 days. Drain and stir the salad before serving, and refresh the flavors with a little lemon juice and fresh cheese. Due to the variety of textures in orzo pasta salad, freezing isn’t recommended.
- Be sure to use any extra dressing within three days due to the fresh garlic, or freeze it into ice cubes and pop one or two out to use in a stir fry or as a marinade for chicken.
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Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces orzo pasta
- 2 cups grape tomatoes cut in half lengthwise
- 1½ cups small English cucumber diced
- 1½ cups fresh corn kernels cut off from about 1 large or 2 small ears of corn
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- ½ cup red onion diced fine
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook orzo as directed. Drain and run cold water over until it's no longer hot. Allow to sit in colander to drain completely.
- Whisk dressing ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Add drained orzo, vegetables, feta, onion, and parsley to the bowl and toss well. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
- Garnish with additional feta and parsley if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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Is there any other cheese i could use instead of feta? my family is not crazy about this cheese? The salad sounds yummy for me. Could you please e-mail me your answer. Thanking you in advance.
Hi Carol, you can swap the feta out for your favorite cheese. Goat cheese would be delicious, or you could try cottage cheese which has a similar texture but milder flavor.