This orzo salad is loaded with crisp and juicy veggies and infused with a very lemony dressing that keeps it bright. It holds up beautifully in the fridge, which means it works just as well for weekday lunches as it does for dinner parties. Add a sprinkle of pecorino or parmesan to keep it vegetarian, or skip the cheese for a vegan version. It’s equally delicious either way. Here’s why it’s my favorite orzo salad:
- The toppings are what really make this salad, especially the salted, roasted almonds. They add a toasty, crunchy element that most orzo salads are missing.
- The dressing gets its lemon flavor from both zest and juice. Lemon juice adds acidity, but for that very lemony flavor, nothing beats the zest. This recipe calls for the zest of two whole lemons, which might sound like a lot, but trust me—it’s just right.
Jump to the recipe + video to hit the ground running, or read on for some helpful tips for success.
Tips for making a great orzo salad:
1. Rinse your pasta under cold water.
Normally, rinsing pasta is a crime against dinner. But in a pasta salad like this one, it’s essential. A quick rinse keeps the orzo from clumping into one big blob.
2. Save time with convenience ingredients.
Let your supermarket do the work for you:
- Buy salted, roasted almonds instead of toasting your own.
- Grab some pre-grated parmesan or pecorino romano.
- Pick up some pitted olives instead of pitting them yourself.
- Use a bit of garlic powder instead of fresh in the dressing.
3. Make it vegan!
The cheese is totally optional here. Skip the parmesan or pecorino, opt for maple syrup instead of honey, and you’re all set. Thanks to the roasted almonds, you still get that nutty richness—add a few extra if you want even more crunch. You won’t even notice the missing cheese!
4. A substitute for the olive haters:
If you hate olives, you can replace them with extra tomatoes. I am very sensitive to bitter flavors, so I don’t love all olives—but Castelvetrano/Sicilian olives are a crowd-pleaser. They’re super mild, pleasantly bitter, and buttery in texture and flavor. I actually eat them by the handful.
On the other hand, if you love bolder olive varieties, feel free to use your favorite. But if yours is a stronger variety, use fewer and replace some with more tomato.
Orzo Salad
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- The zest from 2 lemons
- 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp [75 g] freshly squeezed lemon juice, from about 1 lemon
- 3 Tbsp [40 g] extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp [10 g] mustard
- 1/2 Tbsp [10 g] honey or maple syrup
- 1 large garlic clove, crushed through a press
- 1/2 tsp [3 g] salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
For the salad:
- 1 cup [195 g] orzo*, cooked according to the package, drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup [105 g] pitted Castelvetrano/Sicilian olives**, sliced in half
- Half a pint [150 g] cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 large Persian cucumbers, diced [total 130 g]
- 1 15.5 oz [440 g] can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 of 1 small red onion, sliced thinly
- 1/2 cup [20 g] chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup [30 g] finely chopped roasted salted almonds
- 1/4 cup pecorino romano or parmesan (omit to make this vegan)
Instructions
For the dressing:
- Zest your lemons before juicing.
- In a jar or small mixing bowl, shake or whisk together the lemon zest, juice, olive oil, mustard, honey or maple syrup, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
For the salad:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked orzo, olives, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, red onion, and parsley.
- Whisk or shake the dressing one more time and then drizzle over the ingredients. Toss together, then optionally move to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with almonds, cheese (if using), and extra parsley. Scoop from the bottom while serving to make sure any pooled dressing is evenly distributed.
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Notes
* Note that this 1 cup [195 g] is before cooking.
** If you hate olives, feel free to replace them with extra tomatoes.
