Orzo Salad (Light & Fresh with Lemon Dressing)
A vibrant Mediterranean-style orzo pasta salad loaded with fresh vegetables, parsley, and tangy lemon dressing. Finished with crumbled feta, each bite is full of flavor, freshness, and lightness—perfect for gatherings or as a make-ahead lunch.
Total time: 58 min • Active: 23 min • Inactive: 35 min
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Ingredients
- 1 ea Persian cucumber
- 200 g cherry tomatoes
- 90 g sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 ea red onion
- 50 g fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp oil from sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 ea lemon juice
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp reserved pasta water
- 250 g orzo pasta
- 100 g feta cheese
Steps
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, sun-dried tomato oil, fresh lemon juice, and salt to taste to make the dressing.≈ 5 min Chop cucumber and cherry tomatoes into small cubes. Slice the sun-dried tomatoes. Finely dice parsley and red onion.≈ 10 min While the pasta is still warm, add the lemon dressing and a couple of tablespoons of reserved pasta water. Add the chopped parsley and stir to combine.≈ 3 min Let the orzo pasta cool down to room temperature.≈ 10 min Optional: Soak diced red onion in water for 10 minutes to reduce harshness.≈ 10 min Add all the chopped vegetables to the cooled orzo along with crumbled feta cheese, then toss to coat.≈ 3 min Refrigerate the salad for 15 minutes to meld flavors.15 min Garnish salad with remaining crumbled feta cheese just before serving.≈ 2 min
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Adapted from cookingwithayeh.com
Yields
- 4 serving orzo_salad_final