A super fresh, bright and summery Lemon Orzo Salad that is so simple and quick to make with minimal ingredients. Ready in under 15 minutes!
Really delicious food does not have to be complicated and this Lemon Orzo Salad is proof. It's so simple and quick to make!
Featuring tender orzo, peppery arugula and a punchy lemon juice, garlic, olive oil dressing, it can be ready and on the table in just a little longer than it takes the orzo to boil.
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Ingredients
The ingredients list is simple. We don't need much to deliver BIG flavour. Here's what you need:
Using orzo makes it look and feel fancier than other pasta salad recipes. You'll find it with the pasta in most grocery stores.
Success tip - With such few ingredients, quality matters. I recommend using good quality extra virgin olive oil. Its flavour makes all the difference.
How To Make Lemon Orzo Salad
Alright, shall we see how it's done:
- Make the lemon vinaigrette. Simply shake or whisk the ingredients together.
- Cook the orzo in well salted water until al dente. it only takes 6 or 7 minutes.
- In a large bowl mix the dressing with the drained orzo.
- Add the arugula leaves and toss together.
Add any optional extras before serving.
Success tip - There is a generous amount of dressing, but don't worry because the orzo sucks it all up in a few minutes.
Optional Add-Ins
This simple lemon orzo pasta salad is delicious just as it is but feel free to add some optional extras. It's wonderful with some super crispy and golden vegan croutons, warm sliced vegan chicken, and some crumbled vegan cheese. Salty vegan feta is my favourite because it works so well with the sharp lemon, but you also can't go wrong with some dollops of vegan ricotta or vegan parmesan shavings.
Other additions that would work brilliantly are:
- black or Kalamata olives
- pine nuts
- chickpeas
- cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes
- fresh herbs like parsley or basil
- grilled zucchini
Serving Suggestions
Lemon Orzo Salad is the perfect side dish with your midweek meals and also amazing to take to picnics, pot lucks and BBQs. Enjoy as a light lunch in a bowl with some crumbles of vegan feta cheese, plenty of black pepper, and a 15 minute no yeast flatbread.
It's also amazing served with:
Making Ahead & Storage
If you want to make this salad ahead, I recommend prepping the individual components and waiting before tossing them together.
- Make the dressing and keep it in a jar in the fridge for up to a few days.
- Cook the orzo, drain, then toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil or a tiny bit of the dressing, before storing in an airtight container in the fridge. The oil will stop the orzo clumping together. It should be ok for 2 days.
- Then toss all together with the arugula before serving.
Leftover salad will keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge but the arugula does get a little limp. It's fine for personal use, but I'd make it fresh for guests.
Recipe FAQs
Gluten-free orzo is pretty easy to find.
You can but the dressing will be sharper. The maple syrup/sugar is used like a seasoning to provide balance.
More Lemon Recipes
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Recipe
Lemon Orzo Salad
Author:Ingredients
For the dressing
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium lemon , the juice and finely grated zest
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup , (or 1 heaping teaspoon sugar)
- 1 small clove garlic , grated or very finely minced
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt , (plus more to salt the orzo cooking water)
- OPTIONAL ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the salad
- 2 cups (13 oz / 360 grams) orzo , uncooked (gluten-free if necessary)
- 5 to 6 cups (about 4oz/120 grams) arugula (rocket in the UK) , (1 clamshell type container usually contains about the right amount)
Optional
- vegan feta , for crumbling when serving
INSTRUCTIONS
- Bring a large pan of generously salted water to a boil.
- While waiting make the dressing. Add all of the ingredients to the bottom of a large salad bowl (the one you'll be making the salad in) and whisk together. You can also shake it together in a jar if you prefer.
- Once the water is at a rolling boil add the orzo. Immediately give it a stir, then cook, stirring briefly every couple of minutes until al dente. It usually takes about 1 to 2 minutes less than the package instructions say to cook it for. Keep testing a bit and as soon as it's barely done (softish when you bite but still firm in the centre) that's it. It will continue to soften once mixed with the dressing so it's important not to overcook it.
- Drain the orzo immediately using a sieve, and tip it into the salad bowl with the dressing while still warm. The orzo will suck up all of the lemony dressing quite quickly.
- Add the arugula leaves and toss everything together. It will look like too much arugula at first but the leaves wilt with the lemon juice and it ends up being just right.
- If using the optional vegan feta, crumble it over the salad before serving.
NOTES
- Make the dressing and keep it in a jar in the fridge for up to a few days.
- Cook the orzo, drain, then toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil or a tiny bit of the dressing, before storing in an airtight container in the fridge. The oil will stop the orzo clumping together. It should be ok for 2 days.
- Then toss all together with the arugula before serving.
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