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Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta that is popular in Greek and Italian cooking. This easy salad uses orzo and vegetables to make a tasty side dish.
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This lemon orzo salad is so yummy and easy to make! It is the perfect side dish for summer picnics, cookouts, potlucks, or dinner parties. I love how fresh and bright the ingredients are. I just can’t get enough of the Mediterranean flavors! If you want to make this salad into more of a main dish, then add a protein like grilled chicken, avocado, or shrimp.
Make this quick and easy lemon orzo salad in just minutes! It is light and tasty with all the flavor. This perfect lemon orzo salad is great for feeding a crowd and pairs perfectly with any main dish. Loaded with fresh herbs, vegetables, and sliced cucumbers this is always our go-to side dish!
Ingredients for Lemon Orzo Salad Recipe
With minimum prep time, this lemon orzo salad is known to be a quick and easy side dish to make for all the get-togethers planned. It is loaded with fresh vegetables and has a light and refreshing lemon taste in every bite. Add this lemon orzo salad to any meal as a side dish or even plan to meal prep for the week!
- Orzo – Orzo is a small rice-shaped pasta. Be careful not to over-boil it. Remove from heat when just al dente.
- Cucumbers – I like to keep the peel on because I like the crunch. However, I do like to deseed my cucumbers for pasta salad. It can add too much moisture otherwise. You can use either an english cucumber or a garden cucumber for this lemon orzo salad recipe.
- Red onion – If you are worried about the red onion being overpowering, then soak the diced red onion in water for 5-10 minutes before adding it to the salad.
- Chickpeas or garbanzo beans – Chickpeas add great texture and also make orzo lemon salad a little more filling. Make sure to rinse and drain them before adding.
- Pistachios – Pistachios add a nice crunch and a great salty flavor to this salad.
- Feta – This crumbly, salty, tangy cheese is the perfect addition to orzo lemon salad.
- Fresh Dill – Dill really brightens up this salad and also acts as a pretty garnish!
- Extra virgin olive oil – Olive oil is the base of the dressing for this salad. Make sure it is high-quality, fresh olive oil.
- Lemon zest and lemon juice – Remember when zesting lemons to stop when you see white. If you add the white part of the peel, then it will have a very bitter taste. Fresh lemon juice gives this orzo salad a refreshing and flavorful taste.
- Dried oregano – Oregano is a popular spice in Mediterranean cooking and really rounds out the flavor profile.
- Kosher salt and black pepper – Add to taste!
Quick and Easy Lemon Orzo Salad Instructions
Give your lemon orzo salad that fresh taste with all light and tasty ingredients combined together for a fresh flavor everyone loves! Toss together all the prepared ingredients for this simple salad recipe in a large bowl. Orzo pasta salad is a family favorite and will soon be yours with how easily this salad comes together!
- Combine – Add all the prepared ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix together – Stir until combined.
- Refrigerate – Let sit in the fridge for at least two hours before serving.
Variations
This is a simple Mediterranean lemon orzo salad recipe that you can tweak to your liking. Here are some other ingredients that go great with this salad. Create the best orzo lemon salad each time you make it!
- Fruit – Diced Avocado or dried berries can enhance the lemon orzo salad with a little sweetness!
- Protein – Sliced grilled chicken is a great way to make this orzo lemon salad a meal.
- Tomatoes – Diced tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or grape tomatoes are always colorful and delicious in salads. They add that extra flavor and texture to every bite.
- Cheese – You can’t go wrong adding in any cheese! We love a good crumble feta cheese or goat cheese to make this more like a leafy salad.
- Nuts – We already added in an extra crunch with pistachios. Try toasted pine nuts for a softer and different flavor of nuts to go along with all the toppings.
- Herbs – Fresh herbs like fresh basil, fresh parsley, or fresh Mint give this easy salad another added flavor.
- Olives – Kalamata olives are a purple color with a very strong flavor. They are perfect for adding to this salad for extra flavor.
- Greens – Chopped greens like arugula or spinach are great ways to add more leafy greens that are filling in a healthy way. Baby spinach is always a favorite in our house!
- Veggies – Diced bell peppers fill this orzo lemon salad with flavor, crunch, and color! Add in a green, yellow, and red bell pepper for a variety of flavors.
- Minced Garlic – Garlic and chives are very common and used as substitutes for each other. Add either one of these to enhance the flavors of the salad.
- Vinegar – Red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or a lemon vinaigrette to make this salad even better!
- Glaze – Balsamic glaze is always a favorite for us and we love to add it as a flavor enhancer while enjoying other sides along with it.
“I always have orzo on hand and look for new recipes with this yummy pasta! This salad was a winner! Easy, quick and so tasty!”
-Anna
FAQ
Orzo can be extremely healthy compared to other pasta and rice dishes. While it is cooking the orzo absorbs the liquid rather create the flavor and keep the healthy nutrients in every bite. Orzo is known to provide several health benefits for the body too! Orzo accommodates so many meals as well as can have veggies and protein that continue to make it healthy.
Orzo only needs to be rinsed if the orzo is going to be baked or served cool in a salad. Do no rinse if you do not need to. When rinsing the orzo, the water will remove a light coating of starch that helps sauces and the seasonings cling to the orzo pasta itself.
You cook orzo just like you cook pasta. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Then, add the orzo into the pot and cook until the orzo is tender.
Orzo is a pasta. It is shaped like grains of rice, but made from flour.
Storing and Meal Prep
Orzo lemon salad will stay good in the fridge for about a week if kept in an airtight container. This is a great side dish or meal with leafy greens to make for meal prep. Make this Sunday and it will last all week in containers stored in the refrigerator!
More Salad Recipes
If you love this lemon orzo salad recipe, then try some of our other delicious salads! We love a variety of salads that have creamy ingredients, fruit, or even some salads you make sandwiches or dips with. These salad recipes are always a favorite when shared with friends and family!
How to Make Lemon Orzo Salad
Lemon Orzo Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces orzo pasta cooked according to package instructions and cooled
- 1 large cucumber deseeded and diced
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 1 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 3 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
- 1/2 cup pistachios chopped
- 15.5 ounces chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- zest of one lemon
- juice of 2 lemons
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
- Stir until combined. Let sit in the fridge for at least two hours before serving.
I always have orzo on hand and look for new recipes with this yummy pasta! This salad was a winner! Easy, quick and so tasty!
Super delicious! I was surprised when my family ate everything off their plates and asked for seconds. This is a win! Thanks for posting!
This salad is amazing. I wish I doubled the recipe so I had leftovers!
This was incredible! So flavorful and the perfect side dish to our baked chicken! Thanks for the recipe!