This lemon orzo pasta salad recipe is FULL of bright, fresh, summery flavor... Gorgeous red and yellow cherry tomatoes, bright parsley, and vibrant basil, along with a dose of fresh lemon zest and juice marry together to make the perfect side dish to share at your next gathering!
If you make just one recipe for your next cookout or potluck, it HAS to be this lemon orzo pasta salad! It's one of those go-to, back pocket recipes that you can always count on in a pinch...
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This orzo pasta salad recipe makes a BIG batch, which is perfect for large gatherings. But if you're not feeding a crowd? It refrigerates well for several days and makes a fantastic light lunch. Trust me, you will have NO problem finishing it all off!
- Loaded with fresh herbs and chopped veggies, this cold orzo salad only gets better as the flavors marry together while it chills. Which make it an ideal make ahead side dish! Prepare it the evening before an early next day get together or the morning of for an evening gathering.
- And finally, this chilled orzo salad contains no mayo! It's tossed with a zingy lemon citrus vinaigrette dressing that utilizes both fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. When mayo-based potato and macaroni salads are starting to appear a little suspect, this refreshing lemony orzo pasta salad is still hanging tough!
All these reasons add up to make this easy orzo pasta salad the perfect dish for cookouts and potlucks year round!
By the way, if you're hoping for orzo lemon salad leftovers, I'd reserve some at home... Don't be surprised when you see guests heading back for seconds — and some even for thirds. It's THAT good!
"Crazy delicious!"
This was crazy delicious! Next time I’ll make double so I can keep some for myself. It was gone in a flash!
The Best Orzo Pasta
In case you're not familiar with orzo, you should know that, while it looks very similar to rice, it's actually a rice-shaped pasta. Orzo means "barley" in Italian, referring to the pasta's small, barley-like shape.
After trying several brands, I can confidently say that DeLallo is the best orzo brand I've had. DeLallo orzo consistently cooks to the perfectly al dente texture, without a trace of the mushiness I've found with some other brands. I've spotted it locally at Kroger and Walmart, but Amazon actually has the best everyday price!
How To Cook Orzo (Properly!)
Based on the numerous comments and questions I've received over the years, I know the quantity of salt I recommend adding to the cooking water is a bit controversial...
The ¼ cup amount came straight from the cooking instructions on the DeLallo orzo package I used when developing this recipe in 2014 (pictured above). However, newer redesigned packages list a reduced quantity of 2 tablespoons. I'm not sure of the reasons behind the change, but at least for the purposes of this recipe for orzo pasta salad, I'm sticking with the original recommendation.
Yes, a quarter cup of salt sounds like a ton, but it gives the orzo massive flavor. The majority of the salt stays in the pasta water, which is drained off after cooking, leaving perfectly seasoned orzo. In fact, I've never had to add additional salt to my finished orzo salad.
A few more tips for cooking orzo:
- Don't add any oil to the cooking water.
- Stir immediately after adding and then occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Taste the orzo frequently toward the end of the cook time to confirm it's reached the al dente consistency.
- Drain the orzo pasta using a large mesh colander, but DO NOT rinse.
- Immediately toss the hot orzo with the lemon citrus vinaigrette to allow it to absorb the most flavor.
Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe Variations
While I adore this orzo pasta salad with lemon and basil exactly as written, I do have a few suggestions for changing it up!
- Lemon Orzo Salad with Feta: before serving, add a 4-oz. container of crumbled feta cheese and toss well.
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad: stir in ½ cup chopped red onion, a 15-oz. can of chickpeas (drained & rinsed), and ½ cup of halved kalamata olives. Before serving, add a 4-oz. container of crumbled feta cheese and toss well.
- Greek Orzo Salad: add chopped cucumber and shallots, halved kalamata olives, feta cheese, and a bit of fresh mint, along with some dried oregano and dill in the quantities outlined.
- Chicken Orzo Salad: turn this orzo lemon pasta salad into a main dish by serving it with sliced grilled chicken breast on top. This balsamic grilled chicken would be fabulous!
Either way, just make it ASAP — I promise you won't be sorry you did!
Printable Recipe ↓
Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound orzo pasta
- ¼ cup salt - for the cooking water
- 2 large lemons - zested and juiced (about ½ cup lemon juice)
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup roasted red peppers - chopped
- 2 cups grape tomatoes - halved
- ½ cup green onions - greens only, sliced
- ½ cup fresh Italian parsley - chopped
- 1 (0.66-ounce) package fresh basil - leaves chopped
- 1 (4-ounce) container crumbled feta cheese - (optional)
Instructions
- Bring 5 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, add ¼ cup salt. Add the orzo pasta to the water and stir. Cook for 8-9 minutes or until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking.
- While the orzo is cooking, zest and juice the lemons into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the olive oil.
- When the orzo is done cooking, drain the pasta water (do not rinse). Toss the hot orzo with the lemon citrus vinaigrette. Set aside to cool while you chop the remaining ingredients.
- Fold in the red peppers, grape tomatoes, green onions, parsley, and basil.
- Refrigerate for at least two hours. If desired, add crumbled feta cheese before serving. Toss well and serve cold.
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More Favorite Cookout Recipes
If you like this orzo pasta salad recipe, you might also enjoy these other delicious cookout recipes:
- Classic Macaroni Salad Recipe With Egg
- Hot German Potato Salad Recipe
- Slow Cooker Baked Beans
- Broccoli Slaw Ramen Noodle Salad
- Chicken Salad Recipe With Grapes And Pecans
Did you make this recipe?
I'd love to see how your lemon orzo salad turns out... Tag me @Unsophisticook on Instagram or use the hashtag #Unsophisticook so I can check it out. Enjoy!
Cam Shenigo says
It is absolutely a crowd pleaser! Take it to your next summer gathering, and you will be the hit of the party! Someone will absolutely always ask for the recipe!!!
Magda says
Hi! I want to try this recipe for my daughter's preschool fun fair. I have a question about red peppers. Should those be red bell peppers? And how do you roast them and how finely should they be chopped? Thanks!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Magda! You can buy roasted red peppers in a jar. Typically they're packed in oil. Just drain off the oil and chop them up into 1/4" pieces.
Magda says
@Tara Kuczykowski, thank you! I guess I was overthinking the recipe ;) I did a double batch for the fun fair yesterday and it was a hit! It was all gone! I will definitely keep the recipe for later. Thank you again!
Tara Kuczykowski says
No problem — so happy to hear it was a hit!!
Robin says
Can you make this two days before a bbq? Or perhaps part of it two days before and then finish with herbs and tomatoes the morning of or day before the bbq? I’m trying to prep and make as much as I can ahead of time. Thanks!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Robin! Yes, you can definitely make the pasta part ahead. Like you mentioned, I would wait until the day you plan to serve it to stir the herbs and tomatoes in.
Gail Bohlman says
Love this salad but I love lemon! I added Asian cucumbers that I grew & topped with marinated grilled chicken. Served with French baguette bread and fresh grated parmesan to add. Great summer meal.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Oh my, that sounds amazing, Gail!! So happy you loved it — thanks for letting me know.
Lena says
Is your serving size 1 cup? Thanks
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Lena! A serving would be roughly 3/4 cup.
Diane says
I was looking for an orzo pasta salad like the one they make at Q39 in Kansas City. This is pretty close. Made this last night and took to a cookout/football party today. It’s all gone! It was delicious. Everyone loved it. I didn’t add enough salt to the water so I did end up having to add salt to the salad. My bad. I added a little pepper too. It is a keeper. Thank you.
Tara Kuczykowski says
Yay, so glad it was a hit, Diane!! I know it's a scary amount of salt to add to the cooking water, but it really does flavor the orzo so well that you shouldn't need to add any additional salt.
Alex Walters says
Approximately many basil leaves make up the package you use?
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Alex! I'd say around 10-12 medium to large size leaves. It probably works out to about 1/2 cup chopped, same as the parsley.
Jourdan says
This looks amazing! Any ideas for substituting to make it gluten free?
Tara Kuczykowski says
Hi Jourdan! I'm not super well versed in what makes a recipe gluten free, but I do know that Delallo makes a gluten-free orzo pasta that would be perfect for this. Here's the link to it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2APMjzX or I'm sure they have a product locator on their website.
Laurie Rigdon says
I'm making this for our Teacher "Salad" Luncheon and wondered if you can prepare the night before? Just worried that it might get soggy. Thanks!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Oh, how fun! You can definitely prepare this orzo salad the night before. If you decide to add feta cheese, like I mentioned in the post, I would probably wait and stir that in the next morning before you leave. But everything else will still be delicious!
Dominique says
This was crazy delicious! Next time I’ll make double so I can keep some for myself! It was gone in a flash! Thank you for sharing!
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Thanks for coming back to share a review, Dominique — so glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Megan says
This salad is so delicious! The first time I made it with the 1/4 cup of salt but stupidly made it in a smaller pot so there was less water. The pasta came out tasting pretty salty so I rinsed it a bit but there was nothing I could do since I was serving it that night so I added in the rest of the ingredients and hoped for the best. It was SO good! The rest of the ingredients really balanced it out and it was the perfect amount of seasoning for a really flavourful pasta salad. Second time around I used a bigger pot and slightly less than 1/4 cup of salt (just because I feel guilty if I don't at least attempt to lighten things up a bit) and it's still fantastic! So I now make it that way all the time and I've made this recipe at least 5 times in the last couple months. It's great to keep in the fridge for a few days and use it as a last minute side dish, especially in the summer when cold salads are so great. I also sprinkle about 1/2 - 3/4 of a cup over my garden salads that I take for lunch and it makes the salad more enjoyable and I don't need dressing. Delicious! Thanks so much for a great recipe :)
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
I'm SO happy to hear how much you love it, Megan! And I think your comments on the salt are spot on. It sounds like a ton, but when you use the proper amount of salt and water, it really just flavors the pasta perfectly — and the majority of the salt stays in the water. Thanks so much for weighing in!
Elizabeth says
This Pasta Salad...... I made it once, and we were hooked! My kids ask for this salad at least once a week!
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
So happy to hear that! It's a fave here, too — and it's usually gone the first day I make it.
Maria says
Will have to try this version. I make mine by roasting 9 bell peppers red, orange and yellow that I toss with fresh minced garlic Olive oil salt and pepper and instead of parsley and basil I use fresh mint leaves and add feta cheese. Gives it a great taste.
Suzi says
What a fresh, delicious summer salad! I reduced the salt to 1 Tbsp but otherwise made as is. Took it to a group event and everyone else loved it, too. New favorite for sure!
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
So glad you loved it, Suzi! I know that salt sounds like a lot, but it's actually what DeLallo recommends on the orzo pasta package. Most of it stays in the water, and you won't need to season the salad much (if at all) after cooking.
Jennae @ Green & Gorgeous says
I'm a pasta salad lover, and I absolutely have to try this one. It looks SO good!
Linsey K says
That recipes looks so bright and light! But I really love the bowls in the photo. So Cheery!
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Linsey, the mixing bowl is part of a set from Crate and Barrel. I'm so sad because the biggest one broke a few months ago. The small bowls are my absolute fave, though. I have them in a bunch of different colors and patterns — they're from West Elm. The kids have broken a few of those too, but I was smart and bought extras. :)