Cucumber Lemon Orzo Salad
Cucumber lemon orzo salad is a light, refreshing pasta salad packed with crisp cucumbers, bright lemon flavor, fresh herbs and crumbled feta cheese. It’s an easy, fresh spin on pasta salad that's perfect for cookouts, lunches, potlucks, or light summer dinners.
Servings: 8
Calories: 178kcal
Ingredients
- 1 8 oz pkg orzo pasta
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice fresh is recommended
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 small red onion peeled & thinly sliced
- 5-6 Persian cucumbers diced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
- salt & pepper to taste
- crumbled feta cheese for serving
Instructions
- Cook the pasta per the package directions to 'al dente', about 8-10 minutes. Drain and run under cold water until it's cool to the touch. Drain completely then transfer to a large mixing bowl.1 8 oz pkg orzo pasta
- Add the oil, lemon juice, and zest to the pasta. Stir everything together until evenly combined.1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest
- Add the onion, cucumbers, dill, and parsley to the pasta. Gently toss until everything's evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.1 small red onion, 5-6 Persian cucumbers, 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley, salt & pepper
- Serve immediately, and garnish with crumbled feta cheese on top.crumbled feta cheese
Notes
- For colder pasta, cover and chill for 2 hours.
- Want to fill it out more? Add other Mediterranean veggies into the salad. Particularly yummy additions would be chopped cherry or grape tomatoes, grilled eggplant, and pitted kalamata olives.
- Make it a complete meal and add a can of drained chickpeas for protein.
Nutrition
Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 154mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 151IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg