Easy Orzo Salad

I love this easy orzo salad recipe with a simple lemon dressing, fresh tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and herbs. It’s quick to make and always a hit with everyone I share it with!

I know it’s a bold claim to call this the best orzo salad, but it’s always the first dish to disappear whenever I serve it. The homemade dressing is so light and refreshing, making this the perfect salad for summer!

I often enjoy it as a side dish during the warmer months or turn it into my main meal (especially on hot days). It’s a real keeper of a recipe since it can be ready in just 20 minutes! I also recommend trying my orzo pasta with tomatoes and parmesan.

Key Ingredients

• Orzo: I prefer orzo pasta for this recipe, but you can use any small dried pasta like ditalini or small shells. This recipe is also delicious when made with couscous or quinoa. If you need it, here’s our recipe for how to cook quinoa.
• Veggies: I love the combination of fresh cucumber and tomato in this salad. You can also try other fresh veggies, like bell peppers, radishes, or even zucchini (similar to what I use in my easy pasta salad).
• Olives and Artichokes: I add sliced olives and drained marinated hearts for a Mediterranean or Greek twist.
• Fresh herbs: I always add plenty of fresh herbs to my summer salads. I especially love fresh mint, parsley, cilantro, basil, and dill. Use whatever you have on hand or prefer.
• Lemon salad dressing: My homemade dressing is dairy-free, making this orzo pasta salad perfect for picnics or warm weather. It features a delightful combination of olive oil, mustard, fresh lemon, and a touch of honey (or maple syrup) for balance. I use a similar dressing in this easy couscous salad.

How to Make the Best Orzo Pasta Salad

It’s incredibly easy to make this orzo salad. Start by cooking the orzo, which takes less than 10 minutes. While it’s cooking, you can prepare the rest of the salad. I like to make the lemon dressing in the bottom of a large bowl and then assemble the salad right on top.

Once the orzo is cooked, drain it and then add it directly to the dressing while still warm. Adding the orzo while it’s warm allows it to absorb all the flavors of the lemony dressing.

The final step is to add your favorite vegetables and ingredients. We love cucumber and tomato, so those are a must for us. We also enjoy adding plenty of fresh herbs. In the photos, we used lots of chopped fresh mint, but feel free to experiment with your favorite herbs like parsley, cilantro, dill, or basil. You can also see in the photo that we added olives and artichoke hearts, both excellent additions to the pasta salad.

You can serve the salad as a side or a main meal. Sometimes, I toss on a bit of extra protein and especially love our grilled chicken, roasted shrimp, or this easy baked tofu.