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Home » Creative Recipes » Recipe Attributes » Summer » 🥗Orzo Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Close up of Orzo Pasta Salad with orzo, corn, peppers, and more in blue serving bowl.

🥗Orzo Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

BY: Michele
PUBLISHED: Jul 1, 2021
UPDATED: Jun 26, 2025
15 Reviews / 4.7 Average
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This light and zesty Orzo Pasta Salad is summer in a bowl—loaded with juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, sweet corn, and tangy feta, all tossed in a bright lemon vinaigrette.

It’s quicker and lighter than your usual pasta salad and perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or make-ahead lunches.

Close up of Orzo Pasta Salad with orzo, corn, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and more in blue serving bowl.

No red wine vinegar or olives here—this version leans fresh and fun with Texas-style swaps like grilled corn, zucchini, cilantro, and even queso fresco if you’re feeling wild.

I’ve made this orzo salad dozens of times over the years—tweaking the dressing, swapping in seasonal veggies, and perfecting the pasta-to-veggie ratio. One of the biggest things I learned? Don’t overcook the orzo. It should be tender but not mushy, and rinsing it after cooking keeps it from turning gummy. I also found that a punchy lemon vinaigrette with just the right balance of acid, oil, and Dijon makes all the difference in flavor and freshness.

Table of Contents
  • 🥒 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
  • 🔪 How to Make Orzo Pasta Salad (Step-by-Step)
  • 🔄 Easy Variations
  • ⭐️ Pro Tips
  • 🍗 What to Serve With It
  • ❓ FAQs
  • More Recipes
  • 🥄 Final Bite
  • Recipe
  • Reviews

🥒 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Scroll to the recipe card for full measurements.

Pasta Salad:

  • Orzo Pasta – The star of the show. Short pasta like ditalini or couscous will work, but orzo gives it that light, rice-like texture.
  • Grape or Cherry Tomatoes – Sweet and easy to slice. Regular tomatoes work—just chop ’em small.
  • English Cucumber – No peeling, no seeds, just cool crunch. Standard cucumbers are fine if peeled.
  • Corn – Fresh off the cob is best (grilled is even better), but frozen or canned will do the job.
  • Feta Cheese – Salty, crumbly goodness. Swap with queso fresco, goat cheese, mozzarella pearls, or chopped Monterey Jack for a different vibe.
  • Red Onion – Adds bite and color. Use sweet onion or shallots if you prefer milder flavor.
  • Fresh Herbs – Parsley, mint, cilantro, or basil—use what you’ve got.

Lemon Vinaigrette:

  • Olive oil
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Honey (or maple syrup)
  • Dijon mustard
  • Garlic
  • Salt & pepper

🔪 How to Make Orzo Pasta Salad (Step-by-Step)

Cook the Orzo
Boil orzo per package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.

Make the Vinaigrette
Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, honey, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Toss It All Together
Add cooked orzo, tomatoes, cucumber, corn, feta, onion, and herbs to the bowl. Toss until coated.

Chill
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

🔄 Easy Variations

  • 🇬🇷 Greek Style – Add olives + artichokes
  • 🌽 Tex-Mex Twist – Swap feta for queso fresco, parsley for cilantro, and toss in jalapeños
  • 🥒 Zucchini Version – Sub chopped zucchini for cucumber

⭐️ Pro Tips

  • Double the dressing if making ahead—Orzo soaks it up!
  • Grill the corn for extra flavor and smoky summer vibes.
  • Not into feta? Try parmesan, gorgonzola, or Monterey Jack chunks.

🍗 What to Serve With It

  • BBQ Chicken Kabobs
  • Instant Pot Ribs
  • Cucumber Tomato Salad

❓ FAQs

Can I make this orzo salad ahead of time?

Yes! It gets better after chilling. Just double the vinaigrette or keep extra on the side.

How do I store leftovers?

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze it?

Technically yes—but the texture is best fresh or refrigerated.

More Recipes

  • Southwest Chicken Pasta Salad
  • Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
  • Caprese Pasta Salad

🥄 Final Bite

If this lemony orzo salad made your summer brighter, let me know in the comments! Don’t forget to leave a rating and share it with a friend who needs a potluck win. 🍋💬

Recipe

Close up of Orzo Pasta Salad with orzo, corn, peppers, and more in blue serving bowl.
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4.74 from 15 votes

Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe

This Orzo Pasta Salad is a bright, lemony summer side packed with fresh veggies, feta, and zesty flavor. It’s make-ahead friendly, easy to customize, and always a hit at potlucks or cookouts!
Course Salad, Side Dishes
Cuisine American, Greek, Mediterranean
Keyword Greek Orzo Pasta Salad, Lemon Vinaigrette, Orzo, Orzo Pasta Salad, Orzo Salad, Summer Orzo Pasta Salad
Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
Total Time 20 minutes minutes
Servings 12
Calories 259kcal
Author Michele @ Flavor Mosaic

Ingredients

Orzo Pasta Salad

  • 16 ounces Orzo pasta
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes cut in half lengthwise
  • 1-1/2 cups small diced English cucumber
  • 1-1/2 cups fresh corn cut off the cob
  • 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Lemon Vinaigrette

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice fresh squeezed
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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Instructions 

  • Cook the orzo per the directions on the back of the box. Drain the water and run cold water over it until it’s no longer hot. Let it drain completely while you prepare the rest of the salad.
  • Place the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in the bottom of a large bowl. Whisk until combined.
  • Add the drained orzo, tomatoes, cucumber, corn, feta, onion, and parsley to the bowl. Toss until combined in the dressing. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.

Video

Notes

  • This is an extremely light and refreshing salad. The lemon vinaigrette is the perfect accompaniment to all the ingredients in the salad.
  • It takes about 1 large ear of corn or two small ears. The corn adds a wonderful crunch and sweetness to the salad. However, you can char it on the grill first to add a smokey element to the salad that would also be delicious.
  • If you are not planning on serving this right away, I suggest doubling the dressing recipe. The Orzo really soaks up the dressing if it sits for hours or overnight. You can also double the dressing, then save half on the side to serve with the salad for those that like more.
  • If you don’t like feta cheese, parmesan, goat cheese, gorgonzola, would work as well. If you like a lighter flavored cheese, Monterey Jack or Gouda would work well too cut into chunks.

Nutrition

Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 322mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 446IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1mg

Filed Under: Pasta Salads, Salad Dressings, Summer, Summer Recipes

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Reader Interactions

Michele F - Owner / Founder / Creator / Blogger at Flavor Mosaic
Michele

Hi, I’m Michele Feuerborn, wife, and dog Mom, with 20+ years experience as a home cook. I’m the Founder of Flavor Mosaic, as well as the author and content creator. I share fast, easy, flavorful recipes with bold flavors, featuring Instant Pot and Air Fryer recipes and Italian, Southern and Mexican cuisines.  Contact: [email protected].

Comments

  1. Cindy says

    July 15, 2021 at 7:29 pm

    I loved adding in all the veggies. So good!

    Reply
  2. Allyssa says

    July 16, 2021 at 7:56 am

    This is a great recipe! It’s really helpful and tasted amazing! Thank you so much for sharing this! Highly recommended!

    Reply
  3. Toots says

    May 14, 2022 at 10:48 am

    Amazing. Perfectly light and refreshing for a hot day. Didn’t change a thing, wouldn’t change a thing!

    Reply
  4. Colleen says

    June 5, 2022 at 12:30 pm

    Definitely double the dressing recipe if you are going to serve the following day as a leftover. The first day, awesome, second day it had really dried out. Overall, delicious recipe!

    Reply
  5. Tamara says

    March 30, 2024 at 4:26 pm

    Does it have to be fresh corn??

    Reply
    • Michele says

      March 31, 2024 at 5:29 pm

      No, if you don’t have fresh corn, you can used canned or frozen that has been thawed.

      Reply
  6. Kristen says

    July 15, 2024 at 7:58 pm

    What could you use to sub the honey

    Reply
    • Michele says

      July 15, 2024 at 9:49 pm

      Hi Kristen,
      Thanks for your question. You could use an equal amount of granulated sugar or maple syrup (which might change the flavor slightly). You could also substitute a sugar substitute, such as Swerve or sweet and low.
      Thanks,
      Michele

      Reply
  7. JE says

    June 24, 2025 at 2:10 pm

    This is a great summer pasta salad. I am vegan, so I make a Feta cheese from Tofu, so I used that instead of real cheese. I really like the combination and the dressing. The honey adds just an ounce of sweetness. Will be making this again.

    Reply
    • Michele says

      June 24, 2025 at 8:14 pm

      Hi JE,

      I’m so glad you like the Orzo Salad. It’s a summer favorite of ours. Thanks for the nice comment.

      Michele

      Reply
4.74 from 15 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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Hi, I’m Michele, a home cook with 20+ years experience. I created Flavor Mosaic as a place to share our favorite fast, easy, and flavorful creative recipes with bold flavors, including Southern, Mexican, Tex-Mex, and Instant Pot recipes.
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