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Greek Orzo Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

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If you love the fresh, bold flavor of Greek or Mediterranean salad, you’ll love this Greek Orzo Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette. It’s filled with tender orzo, crisp veggies, fresh parsley, tangy feta and briny olives, all tossed with a 6-ingredient lemon dressing.

Using orzo is a great way to change up traditional pasta salads and this one is quick and easy to assemble. Perfect for summer BBQs, potlucks and picnics, this salad is simple to customize, with recipe substitutions included below.

Salad in a large white bowl with wooden servers and chopped parsley, feta and lemon dressing surrounding it.

This recipe was originally published in July 2022. It has been updated with new photos, reader tips and tweaks to the recipe to make it even more packed with veggies.

If you love orzo salads, you’ll also want to try this unique summer orzo salad. It’s light and fresh, and loaded with grilled corn, zucchini and peaches.

Table of contents

Ingredients and substitutions

Below is a brief overview of the ingredients and recommended substitutions. The recipe card at the end of this post includes the exact quantities used.

Ingredients to make orzo salad and lemon dressing arranged individually.
  • Orzo – You’ll need 1 cup of uncooked orzo pasta. This is a short-cut, rice-shaped pasta, also known as risoni. It will double in size, so you’ll get about 2 cups of cooked pasta.
  • Cucumber – I like English cucumber for this recipe, but Persian cucumbers will also work well.
  • Bell pepper – I used a small red bell pepper but you can also use orange, yellow or green.
  • Baby tomatoes – You can use cherry or grape tomatoes for this salad. While I cut them in half, you can also keep them whole.
  • Red onion – This adds a sharp yet slightly sweet flavor to the salad. Shallots are also a great substitute.
  • Parsley – For extra flavor, I added some chopped fresh flat leaf parsley. Other fresh herbs will work too, such as thyme or oregano.
  • Olives – The recipe calls Kalamata olives. Make sure you buy pitted ones, especially if you intend to keep them whole. You can also slice them yourself or buy sliced ones.
  • Feta – While you can buy crumbled feta, I like to buy the block packed in brine and crumble it myself.
  • Lemon vinaigrette – You’ll just need a few basic ingredients for the vinaigrette including extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey, garlic powder, salt and pepper. You can substitute olive oil for a milder flavor vinaigrette.

How to make Greek orzo salad with lemon dressing

Below is a brief overview of the steps to make this recipe along with photos. For further details, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.

Lemon vinaigrette in a small glass jug.
Make the vinaigrette. Add the ingredients to a jar and seal it with a lid. Shake until combined and set aside. 
Chopped vegetables on a wooden board with remaining salad ingredients surrounding it.
Prepare the veggies. Chop up the cucumber, pepper, tomatoes, onion and parsley.
Cooked orzo in a mesh strainer.
Cook the orzo. Follow the package instructions and drain the pasta. Rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside to fully cool.
Salad ingredients sectioned in a white bowl with salad servers and dressing on the side.
Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, add the cooled orzo, veggies, olives, feta, vinaigrette and toss to combine.

Storage and make ahead tips

This salad tastes best when the orzo has a chance to absorb the lemon vinaigrette so I recommend making it at least a few hours in advance.

To prepare the salad the day before, just prep the veggies, cook the orzo and make the vinaigrette. Store separately in the fridge and toss together a few hours before serving.

If you’re making the vinaigrette the day before, it will solidify a little in the fridge, so let it come to room temperature and give it a good shake before adding it to the salad.

The salad will last for 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. As the orzo will absorb the vinaigrette, you may need to drizzle some olive oil over the salad and toss to loosen up the orzo before serving.

Key recipe tips

  • Rinse the orzo with cold water after cooking it. This will cool it down fast and help prevent it from clumping. If it’s clumpy, just stir in a little oil to help break it apart. 
  • Some lemons are juicier than others. You may need more than one lemon to get 1/4 cup of lemon juice for the vinaigrette.
  • The vinaigrette is tangy thanks to the lemon. If it’s too tangy for you, just add a little more honey. 
  • Taste the salad before adding any more salt. While the vinaigrette doesn’t have a lot of salt in it, the olives and feta are salty.
  • To make this salad a meal, add some protein like shredded chicken, shrimp or chickpeas. The addition of chopped spinach or arugula also works well.
Close up of Greek orzo pasta salad.

Recipe FAQs

How do you keep orzo from getting mushy?

Be sure to cook the orzo according to package instructions. Different brands may have slightly different cooking times. I usually cook it al dente so it’s tender but still firm.

What can you use instead of orzo in this salad?

Instead of orzo, you can use another small pasta like pastina or couscous, or even macaroni or fusilli pasta. You can also try using rice or quinoa as a substitute for orzo in this salad.  

More summer salad recipes

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!

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Greek orzo pasta salad in a white bowl with wooden salad servers and feta, lemon dressing and parsley on the side.

Greek Orzo Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

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  • Author: Leanne
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Chill Time: 2 hours
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Chop & Toss
  • Cuisine: Greek
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Description

This Greek Orzo Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette is filled with tender orzo, crisp veggies, fresh parsley, tangy feta and briny olives, all tossed with a 6-ingredient lemon dressing.

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 1 cup dry orzo pasta
  • 1 1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 English cucumber, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1 small red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 small red onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
  • 3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

For the lemon vinaigrette:

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large lemon, juiced (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook the orzo according to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside to fully cool.
  2. Add the vinaigrette ingredients to a jar with a lid. Seal and shake until combined.
  3. In a large bowl, add the orzo and remaining salad ingredients. Pour the vinaigrette over the top and toss to combine.
  4. Chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

Notes

  1. Rinse the orzo with cold water after cooking it. This will cool it down fast and help prevent it from clumping. If it’s clumpy, just stir in a little olive oil to help break it apart. 
  2. Some lemons are juicier than others. You may need more than one lemon to get 1/4 cup of lemon juice for the vinaigrette.
  3. The vinaigrette is tangy. If it’s too tangy for you, just add a little more honey. 
  4. Taste the salad before adding any salt. While the vinaigrette doesn’t have a lot of salt in it, the olives and feta are salty.
  5. For the best flavor, chill the salad in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

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