Easy Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad (Print-Friendly Format)
Zesty orzo pasta with lemon, veggies, fresh herbs, and feta—perfect chilled side or light main, easy for meal prep.
# Required Ingredients:
→ Salad
01 -
200 g dry orzo pasta
02 -
225 g cherry tomatoes, halved
03 -
130 g cucumber, diced
04 -
75 g red bell pepper, diced
05 -
40 g red onion, finely chopped
06 -
55 g feta cheese, crumbled
07 -
8 g fresh parsley, chopped
08 -
8 g fresh dill, chopped (optional)
09 -
60 g fresh spinach, roughly chopped (optional)
→ Lemon Vinaigrette
10 -
60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
11 -
30 ml fresh lemon juice
12 -
5 g Dijon mustard
13 -
5 g honey or maple syrup
14 -
1 clove garlic, minced
15 -
Salt, to taste
16 -
Black pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 -
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add orzo pasta and cook until al dente, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to halt the cooking process. Set aside.
02 -
While pasta cooks, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and red bell pepper, finely chop the red onion, and roughly chop the spinach if using. Crumble the feta cheese and finely chop the parsley and dill.
03 -
In a small bowl or jar, vigorously whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, a pinch of salt, and freshly cracked black pepper until combined.
04 -
In a large bowl, combine the cooled orzo, prepared vegetables, feta, parsley, and dill. Pour the vinaigrette over the mixture and toss thoroughly until well coated.
05 -
Cover and refrigerate salad for at least 30 minutes for flavors to meld. Toss again before serving and adjust seasoning with additional olive oil or lemon juice if desired.
# Additional Information:
01 -
For best texture, do not overcook the orzo; rinsing in cold water prevents sticking and halts further cooking.