• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipe Index
  • Desserts
  • Appetizers
  • Low Carb
  • Breakfast
  • Main Entrees
  • Salads

Cooked by Julie

menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Posted In: Main Entrees, Salads, Sides
    June 17, 2022 — by Julie — Leave a Comment

    Home » Delish » Main Entrees » Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad

    Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad

    Sharing is caring!

    27 shares
    • Share
    • Reddit
    • Yummly
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This lemon orzo pasta salad is a blend of tomatoes, zucchini, orzo, goat cheese, basil, and a delicious vinaigrette. The perfect side dish or main course for hot summer days!

    Serve this with air fryer honey Chilean sea bass or oven-baked bbq chicken for a complete meal.

    lemon orzo pasta salad in a white bowl.

    I love a good pasta salad especially when it’s made with fresh veggies and a simple vinaigrette. Whenever I crave a mayo-less pasta salad, I usually make this lemon orzo salad or this Greek pasta salad.

    Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    • It’s the perfect pasta salad to make when your veggies are about to go bad. You can throw in some cucumbers, onions, yellow squash, etc. Add as many veggies as you like.
    • The vinaigrette is super light, delicious, and easy to put together.
    • Much lighter than a classic macaroni salad.
    • Requires minimal ingredients.
    • Tastes even better the following day.

    Ingredient Notes

    Orzo Pasta – Although I highly recommend using orzo pasta, feel free to use any short-shaped pasta you have on hand. Such as macaroni, ditalini, or gemelli.

    Zucchini – Feel free to use yellow squash or cucumbers instead.

    Tomatoes – Grape or cherry tomatoes work best for this recipe.

    Basil – A sweet and savory herb that goes great with pasta but it’s completely optional.

    Honey – Helps to balance the acidity of the lemons. You may use a pinch of sugar instead.

    Labeled ingredients.

    Step-By-Step Instructions

    1. Cook the orzo pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and allow it to cool for a few minutes.
    2. While the orzo cools, prepare the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese.
    3. In a large bowl, combine the orzo, tomatoes, basil, zucchini, and vinaigrette. Season generously with salt and pepper. Mix well.
    4. Top with goat cheese and enjoy!
    orzo pasta salad with goat cheese, basil, and lemon wedges on top.

    Top Tips

    • Make sure to season the pasta salad with a generous amount of salt and pepper for best results.
    • Taste the vinaigrette and add more honey or lemon if needed.
    • Not a fan of goat cheese? Use feta cheese instead or simply omit the cheese.
    • If cooking for a large crowd, double the recipe.

    Storage

    This pasta salad is best when enjoyed cold. Feel free to make it ahead of time and then transfer it to an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. I recommend adding the goat cheese and fresh basil right before serving.

    More Recipes You Might Enjoy

    • Macaroni Tuna Salad
    • Seafood Pasta Salad
    • Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
    • Deviled Egg Pasta Salad

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

    lemon orzo pasta salad in a white bowl.

    Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Course: Entree, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 8 minutes
    Total Time: 18 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 356kcal
    Author: Julie Maestre
    This lemon orzo pasta salad is a blend of tomatoes, zucchini, orzo, goat cheese, basil, and a delicious vinaigrette. The perfect side dish or main course for hot summer days!

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup orzo pasta cooked till al dente
    • 1/3 cup olive oil
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice about 1-2 lemons
    • 1 tbsp honey or to taste
    • 1 tbsp parmesan cheese
    • 1 cup tomatoes halved
    • 1 cup zucchini cut into quarters
    • 1 tbsp fresh basil chopped
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 2 tbsp goat cheese or to taste
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Cook the orzo pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and allow it to cool for a few minutes. 
    • While the orzo cools, prepare the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese. 
    • In a large bowl, combine the orzo, tomatoes, basil, zucchini, and vinaigrette. Season generously with salt and pepper. Mix well.
    • Top with goat cheese and enjoy! 

    Notes

    • Make sure to season the pasta salad with a generous amount of salt and pepper for best results.
    • Taste the vinaigrette and add more honey or lemon if needed.
    • Not a fan of goat cheese? Use feta cheese instead or simply omit the cheese.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 285mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 482IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cookedbyjulie or tag #cookedbyjulie!

    Share this:

    • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

    Filed Under: Main Entrees, Salads, Sides

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Julie! I’m extremely fortunate to make a living doing what I truly love – creating and sharing my favorite “can’t live without” recipes with readers from all over the world.

    More about me →

    Holiday Recipes

    • Easter sugar cookie bars with jelly beans, milk, and peep candies on the side.
      Easter Sugar Cookie Bars
    • two slices of caramelized onion cornbread on a plate.
      Caramelized Onion Cornbread
    • Chocolate coquito in a martini glass up close.
      Chocolate Coquito
    • traditional rum balls on a plate.
      Traditional Rum Balls
    • crockpot candy clusters on a baking sheet up close.
      Crockpot Candy
    • mashed potatoes in the instant pot.
      Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

    Popular

    • fried shrimp in a blue small bowl
      Southern Fried Shrimp
    • honey roasted turkey wings
      Honey Baked Turkey Wings
    • crab stuffed salmon fillets up close.
      Crab Stuffed Salmon
    • Creamy Garlic Salmon and Shrimp

    Like Us on Facebook

    Cooked by Julie
    Recipes

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2021 Cooked by Julie

    27 shares
     

    Loading Comments...