This Mediterranean Lemon Orzo Salad is super easy to make and filled with a ton of fresh flavors. It's the perfect side dish for any dinner, Summer BBQ or party.
I love any recipe that uses Mediterranean flavors. There's just something magical about lemon juice, fresh herbs and great-tasting olive oil. I could eat this lemon orzo salad all week long.
This orzo salad is ideal for the Spring and Summer seasons. It's perfect to make for a picnic in the park with your family, Mother's and Father's Day festivities, Summer cookouts with friends and any holiday party.
Ingredients
What you need for this lemon orzo salad:
- Orzo pasta- any kind of orzo will do.
- Cucumber- I used ½ of an English cucumber in this recipe.
- Olives- I used ½ cup of pitted Mediterranean-blend olives. You can use Kalamata, Castelvetrano green olives or a mix.
- Feta- use ½ cup of crumbled feta cheese.
- Lemon- you'll need the juice from one medium-sized lemon.
- Pepperoncini
- Red onion
- Parsley- use fresh parsley over dried, provides a lot more flavor and freshness.
- Chickpeas
- Salt & pepper
- Olive oil- I used O-Live's Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Green & Balanced for this recipe. It's a medium-bodied olive oil that's perfect for salads and finishing dishes. Olive oil is highly unregulated in the US and as a result, 70% of olive oil sold is not truly extra virgin. O-Live's olives are pressed within hours of picking, giving the olive oil an acidity level of 0.2% compared to the standard 0.8%. Good quality olive oil has so many health benefits, it's important to ensure you are consuming high-quality and sustainable oil. O-Live has won multiple awards and scored 97/100 points in the Flos Olei rankings, the world's most prominent olive oil ranking.
Equipment Needed
What you'll need to make this Mediterranean orzo salad:
- Cutting board and knife
- Large saucepan
- Colander
- One large serving bowl
- Spoon for mixing
FAQs
The salad can be served on its own as an appetizer or snack at a BBQ or cookout. It also pairs great with any grilled protein- steak, shrimp, fish and chicken. This would go great with my Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Thighs.
The salad can be stored in a bowl, covered, or in another airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. However, it is best if eaten within 3 days.
Yes! You can add additional ingredients or make substitutions. Some great options: baby spinach, chopped red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, artichokes, cannellini beans and/or arugula.
Make sure you cook the pasta just to al denté as it will absorb the lemon juice and olive oil the longer it sits. Rinse and drain the pasta with cold water after cooking.
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Recipe
Mediterranean Lemon Orzo Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces uncooked orzo
- ½ English cucumber, diced
- ½ small red onion, diced
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, Castelvetrano green olives or a mix
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup sliced pepperoncini from a jar
- 1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ¼ cup O-Live's Green & Balanced extra virgin olive oil
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the orzo in a large saucepan, according to package instructions. Drain the orzo then rinse thoroughly in a strainer with cold water. Transfer pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients, aside from lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, to the bowl with the orzo. Pour in lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt and black pepper, about 1 teaspoon of each.
- Toss the salad and serve immediately.
Thanks to O-Live & Co. for sponsoring this post! I love working with brands whose products I really love and would honestly recommend. Thank you for your support!
Sisley White - Sew White says
What an incredible salad. I would love to dive right in. Thank you for linking up to CookBlogShare
Sarah Holt says
Thank you Sisley!
Alisa Infanti says
This is such a great side dish for everything summer!
Sarah Holt says
so perfect and easy to bring to any event!
Beth says
This looks so yummy and flavorful! My hubby is going to love this for lunch today! Excited to make this!
Sarah Holt says
thank you Beth, I hope you guys enjoy it!
Kechi says
Am loving all the components of this salad; such much freshness and deliciousness!
Sarah Holt says
thank you Kechi!
Michelle says
This is such a fresh and delicious salad for summer! Orzo is the perfect choice of pasta!
Sarah Holt says
I love orzo, thanks Michelle
Beth Sachs says
A delicious side dish for a summer BBQ. Olives, feta and lemon pair so well together!
Sarah Holt says
Some of my favorite flavors, thanks Beth