Amazing Lemon Orzo Salad
This Mediterranean-inspired lemon orzo salad is so easy to toss together and makes a delicious side dish for any meal. Loaded with flavor, this healthy pasta salad is sure to become a summer favorite!
Unique pasta salads are one of my favorite things about summer. The perfect side for grilling and BBQs. I love pasta in general, but making it a hearty side salad with fresh herbs and vegetables is what pasta salad is all about.
What I love about this lemon orzo salad is the acidic, tangy, salty, and sweet balance of the ingredients. Feta cheese, kalamata olives, marinated artichoke hearts, and fresh grape tomatoes, paired with sweet sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil, all tossed together with a light lemon vinaigrette.
Ingredients for this pasta salad recipe
ORZO: a small rice shaped pasta that makes the perfect base for this recipe as it’s small and delicate allowing you to really enjoy the other fresh ingredients.
GRAPE TOMATOES: fresh tomatoes add a nice and light, sweet flavor to this pasta salad. Since we are using a small pasta, I cut these into halves or quarters depending on the size.
ARTICHOKE HEARTS: marinated artichoke hearts add the yummiest, tangy flavor to this salad. I buy the the quartered ones in a jar and then roughly chop. At the grocery store, you can find them in the isle with the marinated olives and jarred pickles.
SUN-DRIED TOMATOES: yes, two kinds of tomatoes in this recipe! Sun-dried tomatoes have a delicious sweet flavor and add a slightly chewy texture. I use straight sun-dried tomatoes from the packages and chop them up. These are typically found in the produced section with minced garlic. You can also use the julienned marinated sun-dried tomatoes in a jar
KALAMATA OLIVES: I love kalamata olives, you’re probably familiar with them in Greek salads. They’re salty and have a deep flavor, adding a smooth meaty texture to this pasta salad.
FRESH BASIL: we add some bright green color with this fresh herb. Don’t be shy when adding the basil, you want to use quite a bit, so that the light sweet flavor can shine through.
FETA CHEESE: feta is a Greek brined white cheese, it’s soft and crumbly with a grainy texture. When it comes to feta, you’re better off buying the block (go for an authentic Greek brand) opposed to the pre-crumbled kind. There is more moisture and flavor in the block, you can just crumble it with your hands!
CRUSHED RED PEPPER: just to add a touch of heat!
SIMPLE LEMON VINAIGRETTE: we won’t even use a separate bowl for the dressing, it’s THAT easy. We will toss the pasta salad together with a clove of minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, a touch of honey, red wine vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil.
NOTE: I recommend using fresh garlic for a little bite, as we aren’t using onion in the salad.
How to make lemon orzo salad
3 easy steps!
- Cook the pasta, then drain. cool and set aside.
- Chop veggies, then toss in to a large bowl with the orzo.
- Toss together with lemon vinaigrette, and serve chilled.
Handy tip: Prepare Ahead!
You can prepare this orzo salad in advance, by placing everything but the lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar and garlic in a large bowl with a tight fitting lid. Toss the salad with those last 4 ingredients, 30 minutes before serving!
Popular substitutions & additions
- Red onion is a popular addition to pasta salad recipes. Feel free to had half of a small diced red onion for some extra bite!
- For some more green vegetables, I love adding a cup of fresh arugula or baby spinach to this orzo salad.
- For some more protein, chickpeas go great and add texture to this recipe.
- If you do not have orzo pasta, orecchiette or ditalini will both work fine.
- If you can’t get marinated artichoke hearts, canned artichoke hearts will work fine here.
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Recipe tips
avoid mushy pasta
It’s important not to overcook the pasta, or it will be mushy once refrigerated with all the ingredients. To avoid this, run the pasta under cold water in the strainer to keep the pasta from continuing to cook
avoid dry pasta salad
If chilling this salad in the refrigerator longer than 30 minutes, you may want to toss it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil just before serving.
make this lemon orzo salad a meal
Top this salad with grilled shrimp, salmon or sliced chicken to make it a complete meal!
The Best Lemon Orzo Salad
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the orzo according to "al dente" package instructions. Drain and set aside to cool.
- In a large serving bowl, place the cooked orzo on the bottom. Top with with all remaining ingredients. Toss together until incorporated.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
