Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad

When it comes to summer salad recipes, you can’t beat pasta salad. It’s so easy to customize with whatever type of pasta and ingredients that you have on hand, and it always pleases a crowd.

Orzo happens to be my favorite pasta to use. It’s light and tender and doesn’t weigh me down the way a lot of pasta can.

My Greek orzo salad is a family favorite, but this Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad just screams summer. It’s packed with juicy cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, zucchini, fresh basil and feta cheese.

It’s tossed in my zippy lemon salad dressing for a summer side dish that everyone will love. 🙂

Why you’ll love this recipe:

• This orzo pasta salad recipe is packed with the best summer veggies, creamy feta cheese, fresh basil and a tangy, bright lemon dressing that brings it all together.
• It’s an easy summer side dish that’s guaranteed to please a crowd.
• It may be made a few hours in advance, so it’s perfect for barbecues and picnics.
• This recipe may be customized with your favorite veggies, herbs and dressing.
• The feta cheese may be omitted to make this recipe vegan.

Recipe ingredients

This orzo pasta salad recipe is easy to customize using your favorite vegetables. Fresh, frozen, canned or leftover cooked vegetables all work.

Pasta salad is one of the best pantry recipes, so feel free to rummage through your pantry if you don’t have any of these specific ingredients on hand. Any type of pasta will do, as well as shelf stable ingredients like salad dressing, olives, artichoke hearts, roasted bell peppers, sun dried tomatoes, beans and so much more!

Ingredient notes

• Orzo. Orzo is small rice-shaped pasta. With a little searching you can find whole wheat and gluten-free varieties if your interested. If you don’t have orzo on hand, any type of pasta will do.
• Cherry tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes may be substituted with chopped, seeded regular tomatoes or sun dried tomatoes in a pinch.
• Corn. Any type of cooked corn works in this recipe. You can use grilled corn on the cob, air fryer corn on the cob, boiled corn or frozen cooked corn.
• Zucchini. Chopped raw zucchini may be used, or toss in roasted zucchini or check out my post on grilled vegetables to find out how to grill zucchini. Zucchini may also be substituted with cucumber.
• Fresh basil. The fresh basil adds plenty of summer flair. If you don’t have any on hand, substitute with chopped parsley or your favorite herbs. For best results, chop the basil just before serving as it will turn black.
• Feta cheese. The feta cheese adds a creamy, salty element to the orzo pasta salad. It may be substituted with mozzarella balls, goat cheese, parmesan or omitted altogether to make this recipe vegan.
• Lemon vinaigrette. My lemon vinaigrette is fresh and tangy, and brightens all of the flavors of this pasta salad. Use your favorite store bought variety, or try my homemade Italian dressing or balsamic vinaigrette dressing if you prefer.

See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.

How to make lemon orzo salad

This lemon orzo salad is extremely easy to make, and easily customized with your favorite pasta, veggies, cheese and dressing.

Pro tip: Prepare the veggies and dressing in advance to make prep even quicker! If you’re using cooked corn and zucchini, they can be prepped up to 2 days in advance.

See the recipe card below for full instructions.

1. Cook the orzo according to package instructions, then place in a colander. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process, and drain well and place in a large bowl.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and toss with enough dressing to coat.

Recipe FAQs

Serving suggestions

Orzo pasta salad makes a great lunch, or is the perfect accompaniment for any meal. It’s great for picnics, cookouts and pot lucks!

I love serving this recipe with the following summer dishes:

• Grilled chicken souvlaki
• Grilled bbq chicken
• Grilled hamburgers
• Grilled shrimp skewers
• Grilled tomahawk steak

Recipe notes

• Pro tip: Prepare the veggies and dressing in advance to make prep even quicker! If you’re using cooked corn and zucchini, they can be prepped up to 2 days in advance.
• Frozen corn may be used as a time saver.
• This recipe may be customized using your favorite veggies, cheese and herbs!
• Leftover orzo pasta salad will keep in the refrigerator in an air tight container for 3-5 days. The pasta will absorb the dressing, so feel free to toss in a bit more before serving.

More summer recipes you’ll love:

• Broccoli slaw
• Horiatiki 
• Grilled potato salad
• Mexican corn salad
• Summer salad recipes
• Zucchini fritters