Lemony Orzo Pasta Salad with Cucumber and Feta
This fresh lemon orzo pasta salad is a flavorful mix of orzo pasta, lemon, cucumber, salty feta, and fresh herbs. Easy and delicious, this quick pasta salad recipe is a crowd-pleasing side dish and a classic Summer favorite. Vegetarian and gluten free friendly.
A Bright and Fresh Summer Pasta Salad
This Greek-inspired orzo pasta salad is one of those incredibly simple and unassuming recipes that has wound its way into our back pocket, edging out fancier, more complicated fare, time and again.
Especially in the summer, when the weather is ripe for languishing, inspiration feels most elusive, and it’s certainly too hot to turn on the oven. When I want something light and fresh, with zippy, bright flavors, but can’t be all that bothered to spend a lot of time cooking.
Cue this light and refreshing orzo pasta salad. Boiling pasta and chopping some veggies is about the extent of the cooking here and yet the flavors are sublime.
The orzo pasta is tossed with olive oil, fresh lemon (juice and zest), chopped cucumber, a big handful of herbs, and salty feta for an easy summer salad that makes a delicious and versatile barbecue or pot-luck side dish.
Why You’ll Love this Orzo Pasta Salad
For a pasta salad that is undeniably simple, this combination of flavors and textures is brimming with complexity.
Crunchy cucumber, bright, tart lemon, creamy, salty, crumbly feta cheese, herb-y freshness from mint and parsley. And, the orzo pasta, which, while warm from a quick, salty boil, with its ever so al dente chew, soaks up the most basic lemon-olive oil dressing, further ensuring that every bite of this pasta packs a delicious punch.
It’s balanced, fresh and bright, and you’ll want to eat it all summer long.
Orzo Pasta Salad Ingredients
As with most pasta salads, things are flexible. You can easily add whatever you like best and have on hand. This is my favorite combination (think of it as a blueprint), and here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- orzo: forms the base of this easy pasta salad. This small, rice-like pasta shape is perfect for a chopped salad like this, where you want little bits of each flavor in every bite.
- olive oil: since we’re not cooking the olive oil, I like to use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
- lemon: to add brightness and acidity, we’ll use both fresh lemon juice and zest. If you can find Meyer lemons, they’re my favorite here.
- cucumber: adds so much freshness and crunch. Either chopped English cucumber or small Persian cucumbers work well.
- feta: big crumbles of feta add a salty, creamy richness.
- fresh herbs: mint and parsley are my go-tos for a fresh, light, Mediterranean-inspired flavor. Fresh basil and dill are also lovely.
- salt and pepper: as always, taste as you go, and season generously along the way with Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
Find all the exact measurements and recipe instructions in the recipe card, below.
How to Make this Quick Orzo Pasta Salad:
This healthy pasta salad comes together quickly in a few easy steps. Here’s how you make it:
- Cook the orzo al dente in a large pot of generously salted water.
- While the orzo cooks, zest and juice the lemon, and chop the cucumbers and herbs.
- Toss the warm cooked pasta with olive oil and lemon juice in a large bowl, then combine with the veggies, herbs, and feta. Be sure to season well!
Simple as can be. Packed with summer-y goodness and perfect for sharing. Enjoy!!
Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad FAQs
Sure! Kalamata olives or other Greek olives are lovely. As are finely diced red onion, bell pepper, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, or pine nuts. Fresh dill or basil are great as well.
This pasta salad is a pretty classic side dish, and gets along well with all your cookout favorites. It can also easily be made a meal. Simply toss with some grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon, or chickpeas for a protein boost.
Yes. This lemon orzo salad is super flexible and can be made the day before. Simply chill until ready to serve. The flavors will marinate together in the fridge and can be enjoyed for 2-3 days.
More Summer-y Side Dishes to Make Next:
- Summer squash grain salad with feta and corn
- Healthy broccoli salad with lemon tahini dressing
- Roasted tomato caprese pasta salad
If you make this lemon orzo pasta salad recipe, be sure to leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it! ★★★★★ Star ratings are especially helpful because they help others find my recipes too. xo, Laura
Lemony Orzo Pasta Salad with Cucumber and Feta
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad, savory
- Cuisine: Greek Inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This fresh lemon orzo pasta salad is a flavorful mix of orzo pasta, lemon, cucumber, salty feta, and fresh herbs. Easy and delicious, this quick pasta salad recipe is a crowd-pleasing side dish and a classic Summer favorite. Vegetarian and gluten free friendly.
Ingredients
- 1–1/2 cups dry orzo pasta ¹
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, or just enough to lightly coat the pasta
- 1 medium lemon, juiced and zested
- 1 large English cucumber, seeded and chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled ²
- kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt, and cook the orzo al dente according to package directions (about 9 minutes).
- Meanwhile, prep the cucumbers and herbs. Set aside.
- Drain the pasta, let cool for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a large mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil and lemon juice. Stir in the lemon zest, chopped cucumber, herbs, and feta.
- Season generously with salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!!
Notes
¹ Make it gluten free: swap in a gluten free orzo, like this one from DeLallo.
² I imagine you could also make this pasta salad dairy free with a plant-based feta cheese substitute.
This orzo pasta salad can be made up to a day in advance and kept in the refrigerator.
Keywords: lemon orzo pasta salad, cucumber, feta, greek inspired, herb
Originally published May 23, 2013. Updated with new photos and recipe notes.
I’ve made this a handful of times and it’s ALWAYS a hit. I’ve added garbanzo beans and sun-dried tomatoes (jarred) a few times…just to mix it up. Yum-o!
★★★★★
Thanks, Melissa!!
I added a little bit of maple sugar and it’s absolutely perfect! Thanks for the simple, yet tasty recipe!
★★★★
Can you use small shells instead of orzo
This recipe was so far out of my wheelhouse, but very tantalizing, I decided to try it. I was very happy I did. A fantastic balance of herb flavors and the punch of citrus along with the Feta’s saltiness was vey appealing. My 17 year old daughter who must have been a food critic in a previous life came back for seconds and said it was good. That is a very high praise from someone of her caliber. To say the least, my wife and I enjoyed it very much as well.
There was one item that I didn’t have on hand, a lemon. I substituted dried lemon peel and bottled lemon juice that we had on hand. I use 1/2 teaspoon of lemon peel and 4 tablespoons of lemon juice.
★★★★★
I make this for BBQs and everyone wants the recipe. So light and fresh and it’s perfect cold or warm.
★★★★★
So happy to hear this! Thanks, Colleen!!
Awesome Awesome Awesome Recipe!!! I have made it probably 20 times with different variations depending on what I have on hand. Sometimes I throw in tiny diced zuchinni to bulk up the veggies (it is virtually flavorless) either raw or I drop it in the cooking pasta water for the last minute to soften it a tad. I have used basil when I have no mint/parsley, throw in cherry tomatoes sometimes, with or without feta and I also cook the orzo in chicken broth. It adds so much flavor for me. Sometimes we just eat this for dinner with a grilled chicken breast. Wonderful recipe thanks so much!
★★★★★
Oh, I’m so happy to hear it, Eileen!! This is one of our favorites too, especially because it is so adaptable. Thanks so much for your comment!! 🙂
Just made this tonight for a family barbecue and just love it! Very light and refreshing. This will be a keeper for sure. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Kristine!! So happy to hear that!
soo yummy! made this and added just a bit more salt, green onions and olives! it was fantastic! A++ i can eat this for breakfast too! lol….
★★★★★
Made this for my family with a Mediterranean chicken and it was a HUGE hit! I liked it so much that I made it again just a few days later so I could pack it up for lunches at work.
Thank you!!
★★★★★
Thanks, Shawna!! So glad to hear it!
Made this for the first time to bring to a BBQ with 40+ people and it turned out to be a big hit. I had a few people ask for the recipe and I am sending them this link. I bumped up the lemon zest/juice and we added Pine nuts and a little more parsley on top as a garnish.
Excellent recipe and one I will keep!
Has anyone tried adding tuna to this? I thought it might be a good combo…
It is fantastic with grilled cold shrimp added to it. And with dill instead of mint
Thanks, Alice!!
Love this recipe. Anyone having problems with it being bland just needs to taste and adjust to their own preferences. This is a very good core recipe.
-Lisa
I love this dish! What is the nutritional information for it? Thanks!
★★★★