Lemon Orzo Salad

This Lemon Orzo Salad is packed full of flavor with cucumbers, green pepper, red onion, sweet grape tomatoes, and salty feta cheese. A lemon and red wine vinaigrette along with Italian seasoning and dill add even more flavor to this perfect side dish.

About the Recipe

You're going to love this Lemon Orzo Salad!

The chewy texture of orzo mixed with the fresh crunchy vegetables and the salty crumbles of feta cheese is so delicious! This salad is great when you mix it together and the orzo is still warm, but it’s even better when it has had time to sit in the refrigerator overnight. It makes a perfect side dish at dinner or an easy and quick lunch the next day!

If you are looking for a fresh salad that not only tastes great, but looks beautiful too, then this is the one for you. The red and green veggies mixed in with the white cheese and orzo makes for such a pretty bowl of salad!

If you are looking for more salad recipes, check out our: Italian Chopped Salad, Crispy Chickpea Salad, Grilled Salmon Salad, or Simple Pasta Salad.

Jump to:

• About the Recipe
• Why You Will Love This Recipe
• Ingredients
• Directions
• Expert Tips and Tricks
• Kitchen Equipment
• Recipe Substitutions/Variations
• What To Serve With
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Recipe Storage and Reheating
• Other Recipes to Try
• Lemon Orzo Salad

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Simple - This orzo salad is quite simple to put together. While the water boils and the orzo cooks, you will have time to prepare the remaining ingredients. Once the orzo is done and drained, all you have to do is add it to the bowl and give it a stir.  

Approachable - Since this recipe is simple to make, anyone can do it. Besides the pot that the orzo cooks in, the rest of this recipe is made all in one large bowl. This is a great recipe to get kids to help with and to get some practice in chopping vegetables. 

Delicious - There are so many great flavors combined in one bowl. The fresh veggies, tangy feta cheese, and chewy orzo combined with the simple lemon vinaigrette is a flavor combination that is unmatched. You will find yourself wanting more than one helping of this salad!

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need for this delicious salad: 

• Orzo - Any variety is fine. You may also use whole wheat if you prefer.
• Cucumber - I like to use mini seedless cucumbers.
• Bell pepper - Use a green bell pepper.
• Onion - Thinly sliced red onion.
• Tomato - Halved grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes.
• Olive oil
• Lemon - You will use lemon zest and fresh lemon juice.
• Red wine vinegar 
• Salt & black pepper
• Dill - Use fresh or dried dill.
• Italian seasoning 
• Feta - You can use crumbles or a block of feta.

Directions

Let's make this lemon orzo salad recipe together! 

Recipe Video

Step 1: Cook the orzo al dente in a large pot of water according to the package instructions. Before draining the water, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and set it aside.

Step 2: While the orzo is cooking, combine the cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, grape tomatoes, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, dill, and Italian seasoning in a large mixing bowl. Stir well to combine.

Step 3: Add the orzo to the bowl and mix well. If the salad seems dry, add the reserved cooking water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.

Step 4: Top the salad with the crumbled feta and serve.

Expert Tips and Tricks

Here are some expert tips to make this pasta salad recipe: 

Pasta water - Be sure to reserve some pasta water before you drain the orzo. You can do this by scooping out some of the water with a measuring cup. This is used to add to the salad if it becomes too dry after mixing all the ingredients together.

Use a large bowl - This recipe uses one pound of cooked orzo. You will need a pretty large bowl to hold the pasta and the remaining ingredients. Plan ahead so you don’t run out of space!

Kitchen Equipment

Here is some kitchen equipment you will need for this easy lemon orzo salad. You can find all of these products on Amazon.

Large Pot - A large pot is essential in every kitchen to make soups, boil pasta, and so many other things! 

Large bowl - Use a large bowl to serve this salad. I love this one!

Wooden Spoon - I love these wooden spoons for mixing the salad together.

Recipe Substitutions/Variations

Here are some common recipe substitutions and variations for this fresh orzo salad.

Bell pepper - Use an orange, yellow or red bell pepper in place of the green bell pepper.

Cucumber - Use an English cucumber in place of the mini cucumbers. 

Additions - Add chopped kalamata olives, pine nuts, garbanzo beans or chopped rotisserie chicken for added flavors, protein and texture.

Fresh herbs - You could use fresh dill in place of the dried dill. I would replace the 1 teaspoon of dried dill for 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill. You could also top the dish with fresh herbs like fresh basil.

What To Serve With

Here are some recipes to serve alongside this lemon orzo pasta salad recipe:

The Best Grilled Chicken Sandwich - With a delicious marinade, brioche buns, tomato slices, red onion, lettuce, and mayo, you'll make these delicious sandwiches again and again.

Bolognese Sandwich - The sandwich is made from bolognese sauce, thick Italian slices of bread, and cheese. This bolognese grilled cheese sandwich is packed with flavor!

Air Fried Chicken Sandwiches - These sandwiches are crispy, moist and easy. Boneless chicken thighs dredged in a beer batter and air fried. Simply delicious!

Frequently Asked Questions

Recipe Storage and Reheating

Here are storage instructions for this recipe.

Refrigerator Storage: Store in an airtight container and eat leftovers within 4-5 days.

Freezer Storage: Freeze in a freezer-safe, airtight container and keep for up to 3 months. When you're ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

Other Recipes to Try