Lemon Orzo Salad
Updated Sep 18, 2025
Lemon orzo salad made with orzo pasta tossed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice, mixed with fresh dill, parsley, cucumber, lemon zest, and seasoning.
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Lemon Orzo Salad is so refreshing!
I’m a big fan of orzo, especially in pasta salads, and this lemon orzo salad is one I make in late spring, early summer. It’s simple: lots of cucumbers, herbs, olive oil, and lemon.
Sometimes I eat this lemon orzo salad warm as soon as it’s tossed together, but it’s also great cold straight from the fridge the next day. I usually make a big bowl and keep it around for easy lunches or a quick side with dinner. And if I’ve got feta in the fridge, it always makes its way on top. I also like to make a shrimp orzo salad and a Greek orzo salad.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Lemon Orzo Salad Ingredients
- Orzo pasta: I love the texture of orzo in this salad, but any other short-cut pasta should work, too.
- Lemon: I use both the lemon zest and juice for this recipe, so go for fresh lemons rather than bottled juice if you can. Red wine vinegar is also fine if that’s all you have on hand.
- Olive oil: Any olive oil will work, but I think extra virgin olive oil is the most flavorful.
- Cucumber: I prefer smaller thin-skinned Persian cucumbers in this salad, but English cucumbers will work, too.
- Seasoning: You’ll need salt, pepper, fresh dill, and parsley to flavor this orzo salad!
- Feta cheese: Optional, but I love it on top!
How to Make Lemon Orzo Salad
Lemon Orzo Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces orzo pasta dried
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 5-6 Persian cucumbers diced
- ¼ cup fresh dill chopped
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Feta cheese for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook until al dente according to package instructions, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.
- Drizzle the olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest over the cooked orzo pasta and toss to combine. Set aside while preparing the cucumbers and herbs.
- Add the diced cucumbers on top of the orzo salad along with the chopped dill and chopped parsley. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper, as needed. Add feta cheese, if desired.
- Enjoy warm immediately or cover and refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.
Notes
- Use any short cut pasta instead of orzo.
- Use any red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice; the acidity is important for flavoring the salad.
- Use any other fresh herbs instead of dill and parsley.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t rinse your cooked pasta. The starch helps all the flavors stick to the orzo, so don’t rinse it off!
- Dress your orzo salad immediately after cooking. The heat will help your pasta absorb all the seasoning.
- Chop everything finely. Your ingredients will be easier to toss together if they’re chopped finely. Plus, it’ll help you make sure each bite has a bit of everything.
- Adjust your lemon juice as needed. I like to use equal parts lemon juice and olive oil but if you don’t like super tart or acidic dressings, feel free to start with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and adjust as needed.
Serving Ideas
- Add protein. This salad is definitely filling on its own, but if you wanna make it heartier, my favorite protein additions are grilled lemon chicken, grilled shrimp skewers, grilled cod, and salmon kabobs. Baked tofu will work, too!
FAQs
This salad will keep well for up to 4 days covered and stored in the fridge! When it sits, the flavors really develop, so it actually gets better with time!
Comments
I made with regular cucumbers, cilantro, a little extra fresh lemon juice and sprinkled a tiny bit of garlic salt and pepper and it turned out delicious. I served it chilled. Great on a hot day.
Yum, that sounds so good! Glad you enjoyed, Lesley!!
It’s so refreshing. I love it. I’ve left dill out because I’m alllergic to it. Parsley’s good replacement. Or nothing.
So glad you liked it, Jelena!
Iโm addicted to this salad ๐ฅ thank you for sharing!!๐๐
Yay! So glad to hear it! Thank you ๐
I can only get English cucumbers. How many cucumbers do I need? Or how many cups of Diced cucumber should I use? This sounds ๐!
I would say 5 cups of cucumbers, but you can tweak it base on your preference ๐
I am enjoying your orzo recipe right now.. canโt thank you enough โฅ๏ธ
Awww that makes me so happy! Thank you!
Itโs so fresh in the summer feels like eating the virgin mojito
Haha, yes!!
This salad was so simple and vibrant! The dill, parsley and lemon combo was super refreshing. I added cherry tomatoes to mine too! Instead of feta, I topped it with roasted sunflower seeds for a little crunch. Give it a try!
Yay, so glad to hear! Thank you!
Made this to go with a peach chicken skillet dish and it complemented it perfectly. ๐
Wow love that idea!
Family loved this dish. It’s perfect for summer dinner.
So glad to hear it. Thank you!
I tried your orzo salad except I used quinoi noodles. Wasn’t really the same effect but the dill and lemon combo was so perfect for the hot summer day. Thank you!!!
So glad you tried it! And I like the low carb option!