Make this amazing Orzo Pasta Salad, loaded with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, orzo, feta cheese, and homemade lemon vinaigrette. This easy pasta salad recipe will be great for a meal prep, side dish, or a Summer picnic meal!
I love making easy and delicious salads that are packed with vegetables and protein, like this delicious Orzo Pasta Salad. It’s healthy, nutritious, and loaded with lots of good flavors (crunchy cucumbers, sweet cherry tomatoes, salty feta cheese, hearty orzo, and homemade lemon vinaigrette).
The recipe is very versatile and can be served in many ways (as a side dish, main dish for lunch, good for meal prep or a BBQ Summer party). Plus, feel free to play around with flavors and add more of your favorite ingredients.
Table of contents
What is orzo?
- Orzo is a type of pasta that looks like rice, but slightly bigger in size.
- It’s typically made from semolina flour.
- Perfectly pairs with most vegetables and meat (especially with chicken).
- Can be served warm or cold.
How to cook orzo
It’s cooked very similar to pasta. Boil some water in a saucepan or a pot, season with salt, then add dried orzo. It’s crucial not to overcook it! The trick is to cook until almost cooked, about 8 minutes or until al dente. Then drain the liquid and add a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and mix in, so it doesn’t stick to itself.
How to make Vinaigrette
In a bowl, mix all the dressing ingredients (⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, ½ tsp maple syrup, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste). Whisk everything and set aside. You can also make it 1-2 days before and keep it in the fridge.
How to make the salad
When the cooked orzo has cooled off, add to a large bowl. Add 2 cups diced cucumbers, 1 ½ cups halved cherry tomatoes, 1 cup drained and rinsed chickpeas, ¼ cup finely chopped red onion, ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese, and ¼ cup chopped parsley.
Pour in the homemade red wine vinaigrette and toss everything.
Tips for Best Results
- Make sure you don’t overcook the pasta. It should be al dente when you drain, and it will continue to “cook” while it’s cooling off.
- I prefer to use English cucumbers, as they have more crunch and flavor, but you can use any cucumbers you have on hand.
- You can play around with flavors and use my Lemon Salad Dressing or Citrus Vinaigrette.
What else can I add to the salad?
You really can add pretty much anything you want. Here are a few of my favorite add-ins:
- Arugula
- Kalamata Olives
- Red Bell Pepper
- Radishes
- Basil
- Grilled or Rotisserie Chicken
- Grilled Shrimp
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any leftovers, you can transfer them to an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
Yes! I like making it 1 day before serving. The orzo absorbs more liquid and gets more flavor.
More Salad Ideas:
- Chicken Cobb Salad
- Farro Salad Recipe
- Potato Salad with Bacon and Egg
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Roasted Beet Salad
- Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad
Lemon Orzo Salad with Feta
Ingredients
Ingredients for Salad:
- 8 oz dried orzo
- 2 cups cucumbers diced
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup red onion finely chopped
- ⅓ cup feta cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
Ingredients for Dressing:
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- salt, pepper to taste
Instructions
How to cook orzo
- Boil some water in a saucepan or a pot, season with salt, then add 8 oz dried orzo. It’s crucial not to overcook it! The trick is to cook until almost cooked, about 8 minutes or until al dente. Then drain the liquid and add a teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil and mix in, so it doesn’t stick to itself.
How to make Red Wine Vinaigrette
- In a bowl, mix all the dressing ingredients (⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, ½ tsp maple syrup, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste). Whisk everything and set aside. You can also make it 1-2 days before and keep it in the fridge.
How to make the salad
- When the cooked orzo has cooled off, add to a large bowl. Add 2 cups diced cucumbers, 1 ½ cups halved cherry tomatoes, 1 cup drained and rinsed chickpeas, ¼ cup finely chopped red onion, ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese, and ¼ cup chopped parsley.
- Pour in the homemade red wine vinaigrette and toss everything.
Notes
- Make sure you don’t overcook the pasta. It should be al dente when you drain, and it will continue to “cook” while it’s cooling off.
- I prefer to use English cucumbers, as they have more crunch and flavor, but you can use any cucumbers you have on hand.
- If you have any leftovers, you can transfer them to an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
This looks like a great salad for any time of year. Will be especially good for BBQs this summer.
Fantastic salad to celebrate spring-to-summer transition with – adding it to my new favorite salads list! 😉
What a gorgeous salad and simple, yet flavorful dressing. I’d definitely add the olives and I agree with you about how good the English cucumbers would be in this dish.
This salad has all the flavors I love in it. It looks great and tastes fantastic. Will make it again. Thanks so much!
Orzo is such a great pasta shape, it’s so versatile! I love it in salads and this one was super delicious. It’s definitely gonna become a staple at our house for meal prep.
This salad is announcing summer! I am sure we will love it over here.
This orzo salad is a wonderful side dish for grilled chicken or fish. It’s great for leftovers the next day too!
Thanks a lot for this salad recipe! It looks amazing! will surely try this!
Just the right salad to pair up with some grilled shrimp! This salad looks so mouth-watering, I need to make this right now!