Lemony Orzo Pasta Salad with Cucumber and Feta Recipe
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.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Orzo Pasta:
- 1–1/2 cups dry orzo pasta
Dressing:
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, or just enough to lightly coat the pasta
- 1 medium lemon, juiced and zested
Additional Ingredients:
- 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
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Boil Orzo: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt, and cook the orzo al dente according to package directions (about 9 minutes).
- Prepare Ingredients: Prep the cucumbers and herbs. Set aside.
- Mix Salad: 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 and Chill: Season generously with salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!!
Notes
- Make it gluten-free: swap in a gluten-free orzo, like this one from DeLallo.
- You can 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.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
