Tasty Orzo Pasta Salad with Lemon & Feta

Here is my favorite orzo pasta salad recipe, with tender pasta cooked in chicken broth for extra flavor, tossed with fresh vegetables, feta cheese, and a zesty lemon herb dressing.

This orzo salad is perfect for summer potlucks and backyard barbecues. I love making it the night before so all the flavors can blend together. Plus, it feeds a crowd and actually tastes better the next day!

What Kind of Orzo Should I Use?

Any standard orzo pasta will work great for this salad, whether you grab it from the pasta aisle or the bulk bins at your grocery store. If you’re looking to add more nutrition, whole wheat orzo is a solid choice that adds a slightly nuttier flavor and more fiber to the dish. You can also use gluten-free orzo if that’s what you need – just keep an eye on the cooking time since it can sometimes cook a bit faster than regular orzo. The key is to cook your orzo until it’s tender but still has a little bite to it, since it’ll continue to absorb some of the dressing as it sits.

Options for Substitutions

This pasta salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Orzo: If you can’t find orzo, small pasta shapes like ditalini, acini di pepe, or even small shells work great. Cook according to package directions and you’re good to go.
• Feta cheese: Not a feta fan? Try crumbled goat cheese for a similar tangy taste, or use shaved parmesan for a milder option.
• Garbanzo beans: White beans or cannellini beans make a good swap here. You could also use cooked chicken for added protein if you want to skip the beans entirely.
• Fresh corn: Frozen or canned corn works just fine – just make sure to drain canned corn well. If using frozen, thaw it first.
• Kalamata olives: Any type of olive will do the job here. Green olives, black olives, or even a mix will give you that briny flavor.
• Almonds: Feel free to use whatever nuts you have – pine nuts, walnuts, or pecans all add a nice crunch.
• Fresh herbs: Don’t have all the fresh herbs? You can use dried herbs instead – just use about 1 teaspoon of dried for every tablespoon of fresh called for.
• Red wine vinegar: White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar work as substitutes without changing the flavor too much.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with orzo pasta salad is not letting the orzo cool completely before adding the dressing and vegetables – warm pasta will wilt your fresh ingredients and turn everything mushy, so spread it on a baking sheet to speed up cooling.

Overcooking the orzo is another common issue since it continues to absorb liquid even after draining, so pull it off the heat when it’s just barely tender and still has a slight bite to it.

Don’t skip draining the orzo well after cooking, as excess liquid will dilute your dressing and make the salad watery – give it a good shake in the colander and let it sit for a minute.

For the best flavor, add the feta and fresh herbs right before serving rather than mixing them in ahead of time, which keeps the cheese from getting too soft and the herbs from turning brown.

What to Serve With Orzo Pasta Salad?

This orzo salad is pretty filling on its own since it’s packed with veggies, beans, and feta, but it pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp if you want to add some protein. I love serving it alongside grilled lamb chops or kebabs for a Mediterranean-style dinner that feels special but doesn’t require much effort. Since the salad has bright, tangy flavors from the lemon and herbs, it also works great as a side dish at barbecues next to burgers or grilled sausages. If you’re keeping things vegetarian, try it with some warm pita bread and hummus for a complete meal that everyone will enjoy.

Storage Instructions

Store: This orzo salad actually gets better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours, as the flavors really meld together. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You might notice the pasta absorbs some of the dressing over time, so feel free to drizzle a little extra olive oil and lemon juice before serving if it looks dry.

Make Ahead: This is a great dish to prep the night before a party or gathering. The salad holds up really well and tastes even better the next day. If you’re planning ahead, you might want to wait to add the feta and almonds until just before serving to keep them from getting too soft.

Serve: I like to take this salad out of the fridge about 15-20 minutes before serving to take the chill off. Give it a good toss and taste it before serving, since you might want to add a pinch more salt or a squeeze of fresh lemon to brighten it up.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3500-3700
• Protein: 80-90 g
• Fat: 170-190 g
• Carbohydrates: 410-440 g

Ingredients

For the orzo base:

• 16 oz orzo (I always use De Cecco for the best firm texture)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 tbsp butter
• 4.25 cups chicken broth (I prefer Swanson Lower Sodium for better salt control)
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 red onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)

For the salad mix-ins:

• 2 ears corn
• 1 cucumber (peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1 red bell pepper
• 16 oz cherry tomatoes
• 15 oz garbanzo beans (I use Goya for their consistent size and quality)
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup basil
• 1/2 cup feta (buy a block in brine for better moisture and flavor)

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1.5 tbsp dill
• 1.5 tbsp parsley
• 1.5 tbsp oregano
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard (helps emulsify the oil and vinegar into a smooth sauce)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Make the Dressing

• 1/2 red onion, finely diced
• 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 16 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup basil, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup almonds, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped
• 1/2 cup feta, crumbled
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1.5 tbsp dill
• 1.5 tbsp parsley
• 1.5 tbsp oregano
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt

While you’re gathering ingredients, prepare all your vegetables: dice the red onion into 1/4-inch pieces, peel and dice the cucumber into 1/2-inch cubes, dice the red bell pepper, halve the cherry tomatoes, and roughly chop the basil, almonds, and kalamata olives.

Crumble the feta into bite-sized pieces.

Next, make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dill, parsley, oregano, sugar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a bowl until emulsified.

Set the dressing aside—I find making it first allows the flavors to meld while you cook the orzo.

Step 2: Toast Orzo and Build Flavor Base

• 1.5 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 16 oz orzo
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced

Heat the butter and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.

Once the butter foams, add the orzo and diced red onion, stirring constantly for 3-5 minutes until the orzo turns golden brown and fragrant.

This toasting step is crucial—it deepens the nutty flavor of the pasta and prevents it from becoming mushy later.

Step 3: Cook Orzo in Broth Until Tender

• 4.25 cups chicken broth
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Pour in the chicken broth, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, stirring well to combine.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender but still has a slight firmness and most of the liquid is absorbed.

The pasta will continue to absorb residual moisture as it cools, so aim for a slightly soupy consistency at the end of cooking.

Step 4: Cool Orzo and Prepare Corn

• 2 ears corn, kernels removed

Transfer the cooked orzo to a large bowl and spread it out to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to release steam—this prevents the pasta from becoming mushy.

While the orzo cools, cut the corn kernels off the cob by standing each ear upright and carefully slicing downward with a sharp knife.

Step 5: Combine All Components

• cooled cooked orzo from Step 3
• 2 ears corn, kernels from Step 4
• 1 cucumber, diced from Step 1
• 1 red bell pepper, diced from Step 1
• 16 oz cherry tomatoes, halved from Step 1
• 15 oz garbanzo beans, drained
• dressing mixture from Step 1

Once the orzo has cooled completely, add the corn kernels, diced cucumber, red bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, and drained garbanzo beans to the bowl.

Pour the dressing from Step 1 over the mixture and fold gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.

I always use a rubber spatula and fold from the bottom up to avoid breaking the delicate pasta.

Let the salad sit for 5-10 minutes for flavors to meld.

Step 6: Finish and Taste

• 1/2 cup almonds, chopped from Step 1
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped from Step 1
• 1/2 cup basil, chopped from Step 1
• 1/2 cup feta, crumbled from Step 1

Gently fold in the chopped almonds, kalamata olives, basil, and crumbled feta cheese.

Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed—remember that the feta adds saltiness, so taste before adding more salt.

Serve at room temperature or chilled, depending on preference.

Tasty Orzo Pasta Salad with Lemon & Feta

Delicious Tasty Orzo Pasta Salad with Lemon & Feta recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 3600 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the orzo base::

• 16 oz orzo (I always use De Cecco for the best firm texture)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 tbsp butter
• 4.25 cups chicken broth (I prefer Swanson Lower Sodium for better salt control)
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 red onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)

For the salad mix-ins::

• 2 ears corn
• 1 cucumber (peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1 red bell pepper
• 16 oz cherry tomatoes
• 15 oz garbanzo beans (I use Goya for their consistent size and quality)
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup basil
• 1/2 cup feta (buy a block in brine for better moisture and flavor)

For the dressing::

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1.5 tbsp dill
• 1.5 tbsp parsley
• 1.5 tbsp oregano
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard (helps emulsify the oil and vinegar into a smooth sauce)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

 

• While you're gathering ingredients, prepare all your vegetables: dice the red onion into 1/4-inch pieces, peel and dice the cucumber into 1/2-inch cubes, dice the red bell pepper, halve the cherry tomatoes, and roughly chop the basil, almonds, and kalamata olives. Crumble the feta into bite-sized pieces. Next, make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, dill, parsley, oregano, sugar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a bowl until emulsified. Set the dressing aside—I find making it first allows the flavors to meld while you cook the orzo.
• Heat the butter and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter foams, add the orzo and diced red onion, stirring constantly for 3-5 minutes until the orzo turns golden brown and fragrant. This toasting step is crucial—it deepens the nutty flavor of the pasta and prevents it from becoming mushy later.
• Pour in the chicken broth, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, stirring well to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender but still has a slight firmness and most of the liquid is absorbed. The pasta will continue to absorb residual moisture as it cools, so aim for a slightly soupy consistency at the end of cooking.
• Transfer the cooked orzo to a large bowl and spread it out to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to release steam—this prevents the pasta from becoming mushy. While the orzo cools, cut the corn kernels off the cob by standing each ear upright and carefully slicing downward with a sharp knife.
• Once the orzo has cooled completely, add the corn kernels, diced cucumber, red bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, and drained garbanzo beans to the bowl. Pour the dressing from Step 1 over the mixture and fold gently until all ingredients are evenly coated. I always use a rubber spatula and fold from the bottom up to avoid breaking the delicate pasta. Let the salad sit for 5-10 minutes for flavors to meld.
• Gently fold in the chopped almonds, kalamata olives, basil, and crumbled feta cheese. Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed—remember that the feta adds saltiness, so taste before adding more salt. Serve at room temperature or chilled, depending on preference.