If sunshine could be served in a bowl, I'm pretty sure it would look a lot like this Lemon Orzo Salad. Tender orzo gets tossed with crisp cucumber, sweet red bell pepper, red onion, salty feta, and plenty of fresh dill, then everything gets coated in a bright, lemony dressing. It's fresh, colorful, and basically begging to come along to your next summer dinner.
This orzo pasta salad keeps things refreshingly simple. There's no complicated dressing to whisk together and no long list of ingredients, just extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest bringing everything to life. The feta adds a creamy, salty bite, while all those crunchy veggies keep things light and fresh. And because it's served cold or at room temperature, there's no rushing to get it onto the table while it's hot.
Whether you need an easy summer side dish for a BBQ, a make ahead salad for lunch, or something fresh to serve alongside grilled chicken or seafood, this lemon orzo pasta salad has you covered. It has all those bright, herby flavors you love in a Mediterranean orzo salad, and leftovers might just be even better the next day.
If you loved this lemon orzo salad recipe, try our Lemon Orzo or Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad next.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- So fresh and lemony. Fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, dill, cucumber, and bell pepper give every bite a bright, fresh flavor that feels made for warm weather.
- Quick and easy. Once the orzo is cooked, everything gets tossed together in one bowl. That's my kind of summer cooking.
- Perfect for making ahead. This cold orzo salad holds up beautifully in the fridge, making it great for meal prep, picnics, potlucks, and entertaining.
- Goes with almost anything. Serve it as an easy side dish with grilled chicken, salmon, shrimp, kebabs, or your favorite Mediterranean-inspired meal.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
To make this delicious Lemon Orzo Salad, you will need the following ingredients (see recipe card below for quantities):
- orzo pasta - this small, rice-shaped pasta is perfect for pasta salads because it mixes easily with all the chopped vegetables and soaks up plenty of that lemony dressing. Cook it just until al dente so it doesn't become too soft.
- Persian cucumbers - these small cucumbers are crisp, refreshing, and have thin skins, so there's no need to peel them. English cucumber is a great substitute.
- red onion - adds color, crunch, and a little sharpness. Finely dice it so you don't get a huge piece of onion in one bite.
- red bell pepper - adds sweetness, crunch, and gorgeous color. Yellow or orange bell pepper will work too.
- fresh dill - don't be shy with it! Fresh dill gives this salad so much of its bright, herby flavor. Fresh parsley or mint would also be delicious.
- feta cheese - creamy, salty feta is the perfect contrast to the fresh vegetables and lemon. It's what turns this into an irresistible orzo salad with feta. Goat cheese is a good substitute if you want something similarly tangy and creamy. You could also use small mozzarella pearls for a milder flavor.
- extra virgin olive oil - creates the base of the light dressing and coats the orzo so every bite is flavorful.
- lemon juice - this is lemon orzo salad, after all! Freshly squeezed juice gives you the brightest flavor, so I wouldn't swap it for bottled lemon juice here. It adds the best flavor!
- lemon zest - adds even more concentrated citrus flavor without making the dressing more acidic.
- salt and black pepper - season to taste. Keep in mind that feta is already salty, so start with a little salt and add more as needed.
Equipment
You will need measuring cups and spoons, a large pot, a colander, a cutting board, a sharp knife, a citrus juicer, a zester or microplane, a large mixing bowl, and a large spoon for tossing the salad.
Instructions
- Cook the orzo. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes, or according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled. Drain very well.
- Assemble the salad. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled orzo, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, dill, and feta cheese.
- Dress the salad. Drizzle with the olive oil and fresh lemon juice, then add the lemon zest.
- Toss. Toss well until everything is evenly coated.
- Season and rest. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Let the salad sit for about 10 minutes before serving to give the bright, lemony flavors time to come together.
- Serve. Give the salad one final toss, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then serve.
Expert Tip: Drain the orzo really well
After rinsing the cooked orzo, give it a minute or two in the colander to drain thoroughly. Any water left clinging to the pasta will dilute that bright lemon dressing, and nobody wants watered-down pasta salad. Well-drained orzo soaks up the olive oil, lemon juice, and all those delicious flavors instead.
More Tips and Tricks
- Don't overcook the orzo. Cook it just until al dente. Softer pasta can turn mushy once it's tossed with the dressing and refrigerated.
- Rinse it after cooking. Pasta usually shouldn't be rinsed, but pasta salad gets a pass. Cold water stops the cooking process and cools the orzo quickly so you can assemble the salad right away.
- Prep while the pasta cooks. Save time and chop veggies while the orzo is boiling. By the time the pasta is cooled and drained, everything else will be ready to toss together.
- Dice the vegetables small. Aim for pieces that aren't much bigger than the orzo so you get a little cucumber, pepper, feta, and pasta in every forkful.
- Use fresh lemon juice. With such a simple dressing, you really can taste the difference. This is the time to grab a couple of fresh lemons.
- Let it rest. Give the finished salad at least 10 minutes before serving. Don't toss the dressing with warm pasta, since the feta can soften and the vegetables can lose some of their crispness. Once cooled, the orzo will soak up the dressing while everything stays fresh.
- Taste again before serving. Orzo absorbs dressing as it sits. If you're serving the salad later, give it another taste and add a squeeze of lemon or drizzle of olive oil if it needs freshening up.
Recipe Variations
- Add chickpeas. Toss in a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas to make this Mediterranean orzo salad a little heartier.
- Add more veggies. Cherry tomatoes, chopped spinach, artichoke hearts, olives, or roasted red peppers would all be right at home here.
- Add protein. Turn it into a light main dish with grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, or tuna.
- Switch up the herbs. Replace some of the fresh dill with other fresh herbs such as parsley, mint, or fresh basil for a slightly different flavor.
- Make it extra cheesy. If you're firmly on team feta, bump it up to ½ cup. I wouldn't blame you.
- Add some crunch. Toasted pine nuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds add a delicious crunchy finish.
- Make it vegan. Leave out the feta or replace it with your favorite dairy-free, vegan feta.
- Make a vinaigrette. For a more complex dressing, whisk the olive oil and lemon juice with a splash of red wine vinegar, a pinch of oregano, and a touch of honey. You can shake everything together in a jar for an easy homemade dressing.
Storage
Make Ahead
This is a great make ahead salad and can be prepared up to 1 day before serving. Cover and refrigerate, then give it a good toss before serving. If it seems a little dry after chilling, add a small drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of fresh lemon juice to wake everything back up.
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. The flavors will continue to develop as it sits, although the vegetables will gradually lose some of their crunch.
How to Freeze
I don't recommend freezing Lemon Orzo Salad. The cucumber and other fresh vegetables will become watery and soft after thawing, and the feta won't have quite the same texture.
How to Serve
This bright and fresh summer pasta salad is the kind of simple side dish that happily tags along with just about anything. Serve it chilled or at room temperature.
It's especially good during grilling season when you want a fresh, easy side dish to that you can pull straight from the fridge while everything else is coming off the grill.
These are my favorite dishes to serve with lemon orzo salad:
Summer Dinners
For more recipe ideas, check out our collection of summer dinners, featuring refreshing salads, grilled vegetables, light sides, and vibrant dishes that make the perfect accompaniment to any warm-weather meal.
FAQ
Orzo is a small pasta, also known as risoni, that has a fun rice-like shape and is traditionally made from wheat. Despite looking like a grain of rice, it's pasta and cooks in boiling water just like other pasta shapes.
Orzo is actually a type of pasta, so its nutrition is similar to other traditional pasta shapes. What makes an orzo salad more balanced is what you add to it, such as fresh vegetables, herbs, feta cheese, and olive oil.
This lemon orzo salad dressing couldn't be simpler. It's made with extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper. The fresh dill and feta in the salad add even more flavor once everything is tossed together.
Yes. For a cold orzo salad, rinsing the cooked pasta under cold water stops the cooking process and cools it quickly. Just make sure to drain it thoroughly afterward so excess water doesn't dilute the dressing.
Orzo salad is typically served cold or at room temperature. This recipe is especially refreshing chilled, which makes it perfect for summer gatherings and meal prep.
Orzo continues to absorb dressing as it sits. Before serving leftovers, toss the salad with a small drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to bring back its fresh flavor and texture.
The most common mistakes are overcooking the orzo, not draining it well enough, and under-seasoning the salad. Cook the orzo just until al dente, drain thoroughly after rinsing, and taste the salad again before serving since the pasta will absorb some of the dressing as it sits.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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Recipe
Lemon Orzo Salad
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Lemon Orzo Salad is fresh, zesty, and loaded with cucumber, peppers, feta, and dill. An easy Mediterranean-inspired side dish ready in 25 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 3 mini Persian cucumbers, diced
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
- ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes, or according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled. Drain very well.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled orzo, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, dill, and feta cheese.
- Drizzle with the olive oil and fresh lemon juice, then add the lemon zest. Toss well until everything is evenly coated.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Let the salad sit for about 10 minutes before serving to give the bright, lemony flavors time to come together.
- Give the salad one final toss, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then serve.
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad, Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
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