Orzo is one of our favorite pastas and this Summer Orzo Salad is our new fave way to eat it! Full of crisp vegetables and fresh herbs for a straight from the garden flavor, all tossed in a simple homemade vinaigrette. The fresh herbs are what make this a super flavorful recipe!

small clear bowl full of orzo pasta salad

Table of Contents

Ingredients for Summer Orzo Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

Orzo
Tomatoes
Green Onion
Radish
Red Bell Pepper
Fresh Chopped Herbs: Use whatever you like and have on hand. We had basil, parsley, and chives in our garden so that’s what we used.
Feta Cheese Crumbles (optional)
Vinaigrette: You can use store bought or make your own. If you chose to make your own, we used olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic powder, salt, pepper, honey, & dijon mustard.

chopping vegetables on a white cutting board

How to Make Summer Orzo Salad

Boil orzo according to package instructions. Drain and rinse in cool water immediately. Stir in colander with spoon to ensure pasta is well drained and separated. Transfer to medium sized salad bowl.
To bowl, add fresh chopped vegetables and fresh chopped herbs.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Pour over orzo pasta salad immediately and toss.
Chill for 15 minutes before serving and enjoy!

large bowl of orzo pasta salad on a cutting board

Tips to Make the Best Cold Orzo Salad

Use what you have! This is a great recipe to clean out the refrigerator with. Zucchini, cucumber, any color bell pepper, celery, carrots, corn off the cob, etc.
Short on time? Use store-bought dressing. Any vinaigrette will work.
Add some fiber! Garbanzo beans, sliced black olives, and kidney beans would be great.
Add some protein to make it a full meal. Shrimp, chicken, fish, or pork are great with this salad. Stir in protein, or serve it on the side.

overhead shot of orzo salad with vegetables

Storing Pasta Salad

Store this in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
The best container to store pasta salad in is one with a tight fitting lid to keep the air out. This one from Amazon is great because the salad servers fit right in the lid!
If you want to make this ahead of time, you can make it up to two days in advance. Bring a little bit of extra dressing with you to toss before serving as the orzo can absorb alot of it.

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Orzo Summer Salad

Use up your garden vegetables and herbs for this fresh tasting recipe tossed in a simple vinaigrette.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings people

Calories 323 kcal

Ingredients

2.5 cups cooked orzo (about 1 1/4 cups dry)
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp chopped green onions
1/2 cup sliced radishes
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup fresh chopped herbs (mixture of parlsey, basil, and chives)
2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp granulate garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

Instructions

Boil orzo according to package instructions. Drain and rinse in cool water immediately. Stir in colander with spoon to ensure pasta is well drained and separated. Transfer to medium sized salad bowl.
To bowl with orzo, add fresh chopped vegetables and fresh chopped herbs.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Pour over orzo pasta salad immediately and toss.
Chill for 15 minutes before serving and enjoy!

Video

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7r7x57Saou/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Nutrition

Calories: 323kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 6gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 252mgPotassium: 154mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 576IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 2mg

Keyword orzo, pasta, salad, vegetarian

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