Orzo Pasta Salad with Lemon and Feta
A refreshing pasta salad that combines orzo, fresh lemon, and feta cheese, perfect for warm weather meals and potlucks.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup orzo Cooked until tender
- 1 large lemon Use juice and zest
- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled Plus extra for topping
- 2 tablespoons olive oil For dressing
- 1 clove garlic, minced Or use garlic powder
- 1 cup cucumber, diced For crunch
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved Juicy pops of flavor
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced For bite
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs (dill, parsley, or mint), chopped Pick your favorite
- to taste salt Always taste and adjust
- to taste pepper Always taste and adjust
Instructions
Preparation
- Cook the orzo in salted water until tender. Drain and rinse with cool water to stop cooking.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to create the dressing.
- Dice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, and thinly slice the red onion. If desired, soak the red onion in cold water for 5-10 minutes to mellow the flavor.
- Add the cooled orzo to the dressing bowl, followed by the diced veggies and chopped herbs. Gently fold in the crumbled feta last.
- Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Before serving, taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
Notes
For the best flavor, use fresh lemon and high-quality feta. This salad can be made ahead, but add herbs closer to serving to keep them fresh.