Shrimp Orzo Salad
Updated Aug 10, 2025
Shrimp orzo salad is an easy refreshing summer recipe made with pasta, fresh vegetables and feta cheese - great for picnics and cookouts!
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Try This SHrimp Orzo Salad!
I love making pasta salads like Cucumber Lemon Orzo Salad with orzo because everyone is always intrigued by its small rice-like shape and this shrimp orzo salad is my latest pasta salad obsession. It’s similar to a Mediterranean Pasta Salad with the tomatoes, cucumbers and feta cheese, but I add some shrimp for extra protein, and it never fails to disappoint! Try it for potluck, picnic or packing up for a cold lunch!
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Shrimp Orzo Salad Ingredients
- Pasta: I use orzo pasta for this shrimp salad. It’s a short-cut pasta that looks like rice. You can make this with other pastas like bow tie or fusilli.
- Shrimp: You can use any size shrimp shrimp for this salad. If you do use large shrimp, make sure to cut it into thirds so that everything easily fits on one bite.
- Vegetables: Scallions, cherry tomatoes and cucumber; you can also add other veggies like peppers, zucchini or red onions.
- Cheese: It’s not a Mediterranean pasta salad without feta cheese but feel free to leave it out to make the orzo pasta salad dairy-free.
- Herbs: Dill works so well with shrimp, but I’ve also made this with basil, parsley and cilantro.
- Dressing: The Mediterranean style dressing is made with shallot, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, oregano, olive oil and salt and pepper.
How to Make Shrimp Orzo Salad
Shrimp Orzo Salad
Try this shrimp orzo pasta salad with fresh veggies, feta, and a zesty dressing. It's an easy, make-ahead summer recipe for picnics, potlucks, and weeknight dinners.
Video
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry orzo
- 1 pound medium-large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 large scallions thinly sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 persian cucumbers thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
Dressing
- ½ medium shallot minced
- 1 ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons oregano divided
- 5 tablespoons olive oil divided
- Kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook orzo until al dente. Drain and run cool water over it until it’s cooled.
- Make the dressing. In the bottom of a large bowl, mix shallot, vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, and ½ teaspoon oregano. Slowly stream in 4 tablespoons oil, whisking constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel. Season with remaining 1 teaspoon dried oregano, salt, and pepper on both sides.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add shrimp and cook until pink and fully cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Add the cooled orzo, cooked shrimp, green onions, tomatoes, feta, cucumbers, and dill to the large bowl with the balsamic dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and serve immediately.
Notes
Storage: This salad is best enjoyed as soon as you’ve made it, but will keep well covered in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days.
Make ahead: The orzo can be cooked several days ahead of time and refrigerated and the dressing can be made up to 2 weeks ahead of time.
Nutrition
Calories: 381kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 202mg, Sodium: 752mg, Potassium: 390mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 446IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 215mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Recipe Tips
- Pat the shrimp dry before seasoning and cooking it. If they have excess moisture they will steam in the pan and can develop a mushy texture.
- Cook the orzo in salted water. This helps to add flavor to the pasta right from the start. It should be cooked al dente so that it’s not clumpy and soggy.
- Rinse the orzo under cold running water. Once cooked, drain the pasta in a fine mesh sieve and then run it under cold water. This will help to stop the cooking process so that it doesn’t get overcooked. If you add the orzo to the other ingredients when warm, the shrimp can start to cook again and become chewy.
- Watch the cook time on the shrimp. Shrimp only take two or three minutes to cook through. They are ready when they are a pink opaque color.
FAQs
How do I store and shrimp orzo salad?
This shrimp orzo salad is best right after you make it. You can leave it sitting in the fridge for a up to a day before serving and leftovers are great for a couple days.
Comments
This is so fantastic! Iโm making it on repeat every month!! So good! ๐ด
Aww, thank you!! So glad you like it, Rachael!
Excellent and simple – no notes
Thank you so much, glad you liked it!!
This was amazing! I devoured it. Annihilated it.
LOL so glad you enjoyed it, Manal!
I made this dish (doubled it) for the family and it was a hit…lots of different flavors and texture make it a winning combo!
So glad you and your family enjoyed it!
I am planning on making this dish for a crowd of about 80 do you think I can use already cooked shrimp?…I have several bags and dont want them sitting in the freezer. Thanks
Absolutely! I don’t see why not! Hope you and your guests enjoy!
Dangerously good. My bf ate one small plate, I ate the whole thing myself!!
Thank you! I love that!
Super delicious! Will definitely make again.
Thank you! Yay!!
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