Lemon Orzo Salad is the perfect summer salad. It is light and refreshing but filled with simple but exceptional flavor. This recipe has it all.
This Lemon Orzo Salad combines tantalizing grilled vegetables in a delicate fresh dressing with tender orzo. A perfect main dish or side dish on a hot summer day. Perfect for a cook out or barbeque.
The grill is an excellent way to cook, need some inspiration? Check out this collection of Grill recipes.
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What We Love About This Lemon Orzo Salad Recipe
This tasty vegan dish is wonderful to bring to get togethers when you do not know if anyone is a vegetarian.
- 20 Minute Meal: Perfect for a hot summer day.
- Easy Ingredients: All found in pantry or garden.
- Family Friendly: Put in your families favorite veggies to make this salad a hit.
- Adaptable: Can make it low-carb, meat free, dairy free, etc…
- Makes Great Leftovers: Perfect for lunch the next day as a main dish or side dish.
Ingredient Notes for Orzo Salad Lemon
- Orzo: One cup, cooked and drained. Find in the pasta aisle of the grocery store.
- Corn: One ear.
- Bell Pepper: Any color that you enjoy.
- Oil: Wegmans Basting oil or your favorite olive oil.
- Lemon: The fresh lemon juice of one lemon.
- Fresh Parsley: about two Tablespoons
- All Purpose Seasoning: to taste. Salt and black pepper can also work.
Equipment Needed for Orzo Pasta Salads
How to Make Lemon Orzo Salad
These are the basic steps for making lemony orzo pasta salad. Please refer to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions and nutrition information.
STEP 1: PREP
First, preheat your grill to medium, then cut your vegetables to uniform size. Then drizzle corn, pepper and onions with two teaspoons of oil.
STEP 2: GRILL
Next, grill, turning occasionally for about 10 minutes or until your desired doneness. Cut kernels off the cob and dice the vegetables.
STEP 3: ASSEMBLE
Toss orzo, vegetables, parsley, lemon juice and remaining oil in a large bowl. Add All Purpose Seasoning and serve.
Prep and Storage Tips for Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE AHEAD OF TIME
Cook the orzo a day or two in advance, grill your vegetables and assemble the salad whenever you are ready to serve it.
HOW TO STORE THIS RECIPE
Orzo pasta salad will stay fresh for up to four days in the refrigerator.
HOW TO FREEZE THIS RECIPE
It will maintain best quality for about 1 to 2 months in the freezer, but will remain safe beyond that time.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lemon Orzo Salad
Simply use a gluten-free orzo or pasta for this recipe, even broken up spaghetti can work. Truly, any grain will work.
Of course, the recipe should be easy so use what is fresh from your garden, such as squash or zucchini.
Indeed, this lovely salad can be doubled for a party or cut in half for a couple. However, I recommend more for leftovers.
Uniformity is key for even cooking time. Find more handy tips here.
Expert Tips for Making This Orzo Salad with Lemon Recipe
- Add Cheese: Cheese is a nice addition to this dish, try parmesan or shredded cheddar, or feta cheese.
- Short cut tip: Use a premade frozen bag of orzo, to save time.
- Variation tip: Any veggies work, try mushrooms, asparagus, cucumbers or even cherry tomatoes. Serve on a bed of fresh spinach or arugula.
- Alternate ingredient: Add your favorite protein such as diced ham, shrimp or bacon to this salad.
- Alternate cooking method tip: Cook indoors on a grill pan or roasted veggies in the oven.
- Dietary consideration tip: Quinoa or whole wheat couscous can replace the orzo in this Lemon Orzo Salad. Try adding beans or chickpeas.
- Fresh Herbs: It is always nice to finish with fresh dill, fresh basil, mint leaves or whatever you wish. Top with pine nuts or kalamata olives.
- Lemon Zest: Punch up the zing by whisk in the zest from the lemon to the lemon vinaigrette.
What to Serve with Lemon Orzo Salad
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Lemon Orzo Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup orzo, cooked and drained
- 1 ear corn, husked
- 1 bell pepper,, medium, any color, halved and seeded
- ½ red onion,, peeled and cut into thick rings
- 3 tablespoon Oil, plus 2 tsp Wegmans Basting oil
- 1 lemon, juice
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
- All Purpose Seasoning, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium.
- Drizzle corn, pepper halves and onion with 2 tsp of oil; arrange on grill.
- Grill, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides — about 10 minutes.
- Remove vegetables from grill and cool slightly.
- Cut kernels off cob. Dice peppers and onions so that they are the same size as the kernels.
- Toss orzo, vegetables, parsley lemon juice and remaining oil in a large bowl.
- Add All purpose Blend to taste.
Expert Tips
- Add Cheese: Cheese is a nice addition to this dish, try parmesan or shredded cheddar, or feta cheese.
- Short cut tip: Use a premade frozen bag of orzo, to save time.
- Variation tip: Any veggies work, try mushrooms, asparagus, cucumbers or even cherry tomatoes. Serve on a bed of fresh spinach or arugula.
- Alternate ingredient: Add your favorite protein such as diced ham, shrimp or bacon to this salad.
- Alternate cooking method tip: Cook indoors on a grill pan or roasted veggies in the oven.
- Dietary consideration tip: Quinoa or whole wheat couscous can replace the orzo in this Lemon Orzo Salad. Try adding beans or chickpeas.
- Fresh Herbs: It is always nice to finish with fresh dill, fresh basil, mint leaves or whatever you wish. Top with pine nuts or kalamata olives.
- Lemon Zest: Punch up the zing by whisk in the zest from the lemon to the lemon vinaigrette.
Estimated Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided are estimates. To learn more about how I calculate this information go to www.itisakeeper.com/about-its-a-keeper/privacy-disclosure-policies/
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I just love orzo. One of my favorite pastas.
Looks yummy! I love Orzo. I’d probably add a little Balsamic vinegar, just for a bite!
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What other veggies would I add? Well, I would probably ditch the corn and add lots of other stuff – eggplant, zucchini, maybe even tomato! This salad looks great – I love the idea of grilling the veggies – I always forget to try doing that!
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Looks fantastic! We had orzo the other night and I’m still kicking myself for not making it more often.