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Lemon Orzo Salad

Lemon orzo salad is a light and flavour-packed side dish for your favourite grilled meat or seafood. It is great of picnics, pot lucks or entertaining.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Cooling Time 2 hours
Servings 6
Calories 254kcal
Author Erika Burt & Danielle Coonerty

Ingredients

Lemon dressing

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • zest one lemon, finely grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper

Orzo salad

  • 250 g orzo/risoni (8oz)
  • 1 can artichoke hearts, drained & chopped (400g/16oz)
  • ½ cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
  • 100 g creamy feta cheese, crumbled (3oz)

Instructions

Lemon dressing

  • While the orzo is cooking, add all the lemon dressing ingredients to a jar. Seal with a lid and then shake well to combine.

Orzo salad

  • Cook the orzo or risoni to tender/al dente as per the package directions.
  • Once the orzo or risoni is cooked, drain well and add it to a large bowl.
  • Add the chopped artichoke hearts and dressing to the hot orzo and toss well to combine.
  • Allow to cool and then cover and place in the fridge until it is completely cooled.
  • Once the salad is cooled, stir to break up any clumps of pasta and add in the parsley and crumbled feta. Toss again to combine and it is ready to serve.

Notes

This serves 4-6 as a side salad, depending in your serving size.

Tips & Suggestions

    • Using fresh ingredients will make a big difference in the flavour of your salad. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice, fresh parsley, and fresh garlic for the best results.
    • Overcooking the orzo or risoni pasta can make it mushy and unappetising, so be sure to cook it al dente, or until it's tender but still has a slight bite to it.
    • We like to use a microplane to easily grate the garlic and zest the lemon.
    • If you're feeling adventurous, try adding different ingredients to the salad. Roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives are all great options that will add even more flavor and texture to the salad.
    • Add some protein: While this salad is delicious on its own, you can add some protein to make it more filling. Grilled chicken, shrimp, canned tuna or even chickpeas are all great options.
THIS IS BASED ON THE INGREDIENTS WE USED, NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION MAY VARY DEPENDING ON THE INGREDIENTS USED.

Nutrition

Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Net Carbs: 32g