What we love about this lemon orzo pasta salad
- Cucumbers, tomatoes, and fresh basil. Summer produce that we can’t get enough of, and if we can manage to grow them at home, they’re even better.
- We love to serve this with feta crumbled over the salad. Don’t want to use feta? Try salty, briny kalamata olives or some capers instead.
- This salad is great to prep ahead of time and travels really well, making it perfect for all those summer get togethers you still have on your calendar.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it
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- Orzo pasta
- Lemons – You will need the zest and the juice of the lemon.
- Tomatoes – Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes work great for this recipe.
- Cucumbers – We love using english cucumbers for recipes like this. They have very few seeds and thin skin, so you don’t have to work so hard to prep them. You could swap zucchini for the cucumber and it would be a really delicious way to use up your own garden harvest.
- White wine vinegar
- Shallot – We have made this salad with shallots and red onion. Both work, but we prefer the mellow flavor of shallots. If you don’t have them, swap any onion you want.
- Fresh basil leaves – If you don’t have basil, you can substitute another herb like mint, cilantro or even chives. Really any combination of herbs will work, too. We just happen to like the basil best.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
How to make lemon orzo salad
Prep the veggies. Chop your cucumbers, tomatoes and shallots. Then finely chop the basil. This can be done a day in advance. Just store the veggies and herbs separately to prevent them from getting soggy.
Cook the orzo. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool.
Make your dressing. Combine the lemon juice and zest, vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper in a small bowl. Set aside until ready to use.
If you’re not serving the salad immediately, hold off on adding the dressing to the salad. You could also just add a tiny bit of the dressing for now (about 2 tablespoons) to prevent the orzo from clumping, then add the remaining dressing just before serving.
Assemble the salad. When the pasta is drained and cool, add it to a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped veggies and basil to the bowl. Pour in the dressing and stir until the salad is evenly coated. If you need to, adjust seasoning with salt & pepper to taste.
Everything you need to know about orzo pasta salad
Is orzo pasta or rice?
Even though it looks similar to rice when cooked, orzo is a pasta made from wheat or semolina flour. This means it contains gluten and wheat.
Is orzo a Greek food?
While it’s commonly used in Greek cuisine, orzo pasta originated in Italy. This rice shaped pasta is often used in a variety Greek dishes like soups, salads, pilafs, and casseroles.
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Lemon Orzo Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1- pound package orzo
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- 1 English cucumber (seeded and sliced)
- 1/4 cup diced shallots
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- For garnish: Feta cheese crumbles (optional)
- 1 lemon (zested and juiced (about 1/4 cup juiced))
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente in a large pot of salted, boiling water. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water.
- Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Add the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl along with the vegetables and dressing. Stir until evenly coated in dressing.
- Before serving, adjust seasoning to taste with salt & pepper.
- Garnish with crumbled feta cheese.
Nutrition
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