Easy Orzo Pasta Salad
This delicious orzo pasta salad is filled with fresh chopped vegetables, tender orzo, and tossed in simple dressing made with freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil. A 30-minute recipe, this orzo salad is the perfect summer salad to pair with any main dish!
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 210kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb box orzo
- 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1 package cherry tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
- 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 small jalapeno, seeded
- 1 lemon
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Take the package of orzo and cook per package instructions. Once done, drain and rinse with cold water. Place the orzo in a large bowl and put it in the refrigerator so it can stay cool.
- Wash all the vegetables before preparing them. Start by peeling and dicing the cucumber into bite-sized pieces.
- Then, finely chop the cilantro and slice the cherry tomatoes in half-lengthwise.
- Cut the bunch of green onions. Continue by mincing the garlic cloves and dicing the red onion. Finely chop the jalapeno and remove the seeds.
- Put all the chopped vegetables to a large bowl and then add in ½ cup pumpkin seeds.
- Mix to combine all the ingredients.
- Add the cooked orzo to the bowl of chopped vegetables.
- Add in a dash of salt and pepper to taste, as well as the juice of a lemon.
- Mix all the ingredients together, while slowly drizzling in the extra-virgin olive oil to lightly coat the pasta and vegetables.
- Serve immediately or once the salad has chilled for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.
Notes
- This is a make ahead dish and the ingredients can be prepared and stored in the refrigerator until ready to combine and serve.
- Rinse the cooked pasta under cold water to help get rid of any starchy coating. Thes starch can make the orzo pasta clump together.
- I like using roasted pumpkin seeds in this dish, but raw seeds are also very flavorful. Raw pumpkin seeds are very chewy and mix well texture and taste wise with cooked orzo.
- Don't be afraid to use the jalapeno pepper. The pepper provides flavor, not heat. If you want the heat, then add in some of the jalapeno pepper seeds. You can also add in red pepper flakes.
- This orzo pasta salad can be eaten at room temperature or chilled. If you like it chilled, make sure to run it under cold water and place it in the fridge while you are cutting and combining the other ingredients. This is especially important if you're planning to add cheese. When mixing, the last thing you want is melted cheese in this salad.
- Using a flavored olive oil enhances the flavor. I've used a lemon infused olive oil as well as a garlic based oil and both were amazing!
- If there are leftovers, store covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 215mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 154IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg