Description
This Rainbow Orzo Salad is a vibrant, fresh, and easy summer pasta side dish packed with colorful veggies, chewy orzo, and a zippy lemon-herb dressing. Perfect for BBQs, picnics, or meal prep, it’s light, satisfying, and gets even better as it sits in the fridge.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups (about 10 oz) uncooked orzo pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup English cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup shredded purple cabbage
- 1/3 cup carrot, grated or julienned
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (or basil or mint)
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp honey (or maple syrup for vegan)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just past al dente.
- Drain the orzo in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and prevent clumping. Shake well to remove excess water.
- In a small jar or bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Shake or whisk until emulsified.
- Add the drained orzo to a large mixing bowl. Pour in half the dressing and toss gently.
- Stir in cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red and yellow bell pepper, purple cabbage, carrot, parsley, and red onion. Toss gently to combine.
- Sprinkle crumbled feta over the salad, then drizzle with the rest of the dressing. Toss again to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to meld. Taste before serving and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Give one last gentle toss, sprinkle with extra parsley or a squeeze of lemon, and serve cold or at cool room temperature.
Notes
For best results, rinse the orzo after cooking and toss with dressing while still warm. Hold off on adding tomatoes and herbs if prepping ahead to prevent sogginess. Easily make gluten-free by swapping orzo for GF pasta or quinoa, and vegan by omitting feta and using maple syrup. Salad keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (about 1 cup)
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 33
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 5
Keywords: rainbow orzo salad, summer pasta salad, cold pasta salad, vegetarian, Mediterranean, picnic, BBQ, meal prep, easy salad, lemon herb dressing