Made with juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, fresh herbs, and plenty of lemony goodness, this lemon orzo salad is the kind of dish that instantly makes any meal feel a little more special (without making you spend all day in the kitchen). It's the perfect alternative to your typical mayo-heavy pasta salad - refreshing, vibrant, and just so dang good.
If you're looking for a fresh, easy side dish that basically goes with everything - you've found it. This Lemon Orzo Salad is one of those perfect spring and summer staples that you'll find yourself making on repeat. It's light, it's bright, it's packed with fresh flavor, and best of all? It's ridiculously easy to throw together.
Plus, it's make-ahead friendly, which means it's basically begging to be your go-to for potlucks, BBQs, picnics, or just easy weeknight dinners. Serve it with grilled chicken, seafood, burgers, or even as a light lunch on its own - it truly plays well with just about anything.
Once you make it, I promise you'll wonder how you ever made it through warm weather season without it.
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Why you will love this lemon orzo salad.
Bright, fresh flavor - Loaded with lemon, herbs, and crisp veggies for the ultimate refreshing bite.
Super easy to make - Comes together in no time with simple, everyday ingredients.
Make-ahead friendly - Tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge, making it perfect for prepping ahead.
Versatile side dish - Pairs beautifully with everything from grilled chicken and seafood to burgers and kebabs.
A lighter take on pasta salad - No heavy dressings here - just a fresh, zippy, veggie-packed dish everyone will love.
Potluck and BBQ approved - Travels well and holds up beautifully on a buffet table.
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Equipment
Here's what you will need for this recipe:
- Cutting board and a sharp knife
- Lemon zester and juicer (optional): I love this Oxo lemon zester and this Oxo citrus juicer is also great.
- Mixing bowls: I love these glass nesting bowls from Pyrex.
Ingredients
- Orzo pasta: I love this Organic Orzo from Delallo but you can choose your favorite brand.
- English cucumber: English cucumbers have a thinner skin and less seeds making them perfect for this recipe.
- Cherry tomatoes: The sweeter the better for this salad.
- Kalamata olives: They add a great punch of salt and tang to this recipe. Make sure you buy pitted olives.
- Parsley, fresh
- Basil, fresh
- Mint, fresh
- Olive oil: You'll want to use a good quality olive oil.
- Lemon: You need one large lemon and you will use both the zest and juice.
- Parmesan: I love topping this salad with a little shaved parmesan, but you could also use crumbled feta or another cheese of your choice.
What makes this the best Lemon Orzo Salad recipe?
This Lemon Orzo Salad is not only packed with fresh and delicious flavors but it is so easy to throw together. It pairs beautifully with grilled meats and makes a great side dish for a BBQ or summer gathering. Plus it's very easy to double or even triple to feed a larger crowd.
Recipe FAQs
If stored in an airtight container this Lemon Orzo Salad will stay fresh about 5 days in the fridge.
Absolutely! In some ways I think this salad is better when made a day ahead of time because it gives the flavors a chance to really meld. I recommend making it the day before but even two days would be great.
Either works! It's delicious chilled straight from the fridge but also holds up really well at room temperature which makes it perfect for potlucks, picnics, and BBQs.
Stored in an airtight container, it should stay fresh for about 3 days. The herbs might wilt a little over time, but the flavor will still be spot-on.
Just regular, plain orzo. Nothing fancy needed! You'll cook it just like pasta: in salted boiling water until tender.
Totally. Feel free to toss in whatever you have on hand: bell peppers, red onion, artichoke hearts, olives, roasted zucchini, and more. You really can't go wrong.
You can in a pinch, but fresh lemon juice really makes a difference here. It gives the salad that bright, zippy flavor that bottled juice just can't quite match
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Made this Lemon Orzo Salad recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
Lemon Orzo Salad
Equipment
- Cutting board and knife
- mixing bowl
- Lemon Juice and zester
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups orzo, uncooked
- ½ English cucumber, sliced and quartered
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes You can quarter the tomatoes if they're on the larger side.
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
- 2 tablespoon fresh basil, minced
- 2 tablespoon fresh mint, minced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil good quality
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- Parmesan cheese shavings
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Salt a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook orzo to al dente according to package instructions. Then drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. While pasta is cooking quarter the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes and olives and mince the herbs.
- Add all ingredients except the parmesan cheese to the mixing bowl with the orzo and stir until well combined. Transfer to a serving dish (if desired), top with shaved parmesan and serve. Enjoy!
Bernice
I love how orzo is gaining in popularity these days. It's a fun little pasta and it can be used in so many ways. It's especially delicious in this Lemon Orzo Pasta salad. I need a second bowl!
Genevieve
This lemon orzo salad looks so healthy and colorful! this is a must try to my recipe list this weekend!
Melinda
My two favorite veggies are here plus the orzo pasta is the perfect size to mix with these fresh ingredients. We loved it! But what everyone talked about was the fresh mint. A great addition to a fresh lemony salad. Delicious!
Andrea
love how refreshing this orzo salad turned out! so tasty and nutritious for a yummy lunch!
Nancy
Hands down the tastiest lemon orzo salad ever. So we’ll balanced
Mary
So delicious, light and fresh!!!
Cpg
The perfect summer salad- easy to make, easy to bring and share at parties- Delish