Meet the pasta salad of the spring and summer! This Lemon Orzo Salad with Feta is so light and fresh and full of summertime ingredients like herbs, sweet corn, and a light lemony dressing. This is a zesty pasta salad recipe that is sure to be on repeat.
This quick salad is a cinch to prepare and is a great way to get in your veggies.
The feta cheese has a nice salty creaminess to it, the celery adds crunch, the green onions give a good flavor without being overpowering. The orzo? Well you can't go wrong with pasta!
For another easy orzo salad, try Pesto Orzo Salad.
What is orzo?
Orzo is a great, under utilized pasta shape in my opinion. The name "orzo" means "barley" in italian. The shape is similar to rice or barley, but it is a different texture. Also called risoni, orzo pasta is just another delicious pasta shape that is good to have in your pantry for recipes like this one!
It is so comforting to eat, as the small pasta just melts in your mouth. I use orzo sometimes when making chicken pastina with egg, as it is a similar size to stelline pasta.
Ingredients Notes
- Dry orzo: Orzo or any small pasta will work.
- Feta cheese: Salty but relatively mild flavored, feta is the perfect cheese for pasta salads. Use feta crumbles or buy a block and crumble it yourself.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Because you aren't cooking the oil, extra virgin olive oil works great here.
- Cherry tomatoes: Any color works, red, yellow orange, or a mixture.
- Frozen or canned corn: Corn adds sweetness to this salad. Next time I make this, I think I'll use some midwest corn that I cut straight off the cob.
- Celery: For a bit of crunch.
- Green onions & Fresh parsley: Fresh is a must here.
- Garlic cloves: The garlic in this recipe is raw, but by letting it sit in lemon juice, the flavor is mellowed out some.
- Lemon: Lemon is such a great way to add freshness and acidity to salads, without vinegar.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients.
Variations and Substitutions
- If you happen to be gluten free and still want to try this salad, try substituting the orzo for rice!
- Add red bell pepper for color, flavor, and crunch.
- Add in other fresh herbs like dill or basil. Whatever you have on hand would work great, the ingredients in this salad are very versatile.
- Add ½ tsp. of cumin and ½. teaspoon of chili powder for a little added spice.
How to Make Lemon Orzo Salad with Feta
Step 1. Cook orzo pasta according to packaging instructions.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, add minced garlic.
Step 2. Drain and pour hot pasta over minced garlic to take away from of the bitterness. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Enjoy warm or cold.
Recipe Tips
- Place minced garlic into your mixing bowl first, and then pour the hot orzo pasta over top. This helps cook the garlic just a tad, and take away some of the bitterness raw garlic can have.
- When refrigerated, the pasta with soak up the acids and oil. If you are chilling and serving later, you may want to wait until right before you serve to add in the liquids.
How to Serve
Top with grilled chicken for a protein-packed lunch.
For a pescatarian option, this salad would be lovely with the addition of salmon. Simply cook up one or two filets, break up into bite-sized pieces with a fork, and stir in. Cook salmon in the air fryer with these instructions for a super easy option.
Storage Notes
Store any leftover orzo salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
The pasta will soak up the liquids the longer it sits. If you want to serve this pasta salad for a party, I would wait to add the lemon juice and olive oil until just before serving to have it be as fresh as possible.
Looking for more pasta salad recipes?
If you tried this Lemon Orzo Salad with Feta or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love to hear from you.
Lemon Orzo Salad with Feta
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry orzo
- ½ cup feta cheese
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 4 green onions diced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 lemon juiced
- ½ tsp. salt
Instructions
- Cook orzo pasta according to packaging instructions.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, add minced garlic.
- Drain and pour hot pasta over minced garlic to take away from of the bitterness.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
- Enjoy warm or cold.
Notes
- Place minced garlic into your mixing bowl first, and then pour the hot orzo pasta over top. This helps cook the garlic just a tad, and take away some of the bitterness raw garlic can have.
- When refrigerated, the pasta with soak up the acids and oil. If you are chilling and serving later, you may want to wait until right before you serve to add in the liquids.
Christine Dalphy
I made this as a side for a BBQ potluck party. It was very fresh-tasting and was enjoyed by all. I have a small amount left over which I plan to eat with grilled chicken tomorrow. Delicious salad for the summer!
Sarah
Christine! So happy to see your name pop up. I am glad you enjoyed this salad. 🙂
-Sarah