Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
Last Updated on January 15, 2022 by Annie
Simple and flavorful, this easy lemon orzo pasta salad makes the perfect summer side dish. Made with 6 ingredients and ready in about 15 minutes, you can quickly whip up this vegan pasta salad for a light and refreshing side any day of the week!
There isn’t much that beats a fresh and flavorful pasta salad in the summer. They are cool and refreshing, easy to adapt, and truly go well with just about anything. At an early summer gathering, one of my friends had brought a pasta salad from The Fresh Market. Its wast light, bursting with flavor, and perfect for a warm summer evening.
After one bite I was hooked and knew I needed to make my own (because at $10.99 a pound I was certain I could whip something up that was much less expensive and just as flavorful). With a few small tweaks, I found the perfect balance of bold flavors without weighing the pasta salad down in dressing.
This easy summer pasta salad comes together with 6 ingredients (including salt and pepper) and is perfect fresh from the stove or chilled after a day. You are going to want to make this vegan pasta salad for your next picnic, potluck, or backyard BBQ.
Why We LOVE this Pasta Salad
If light and flavorful pasta salads are your thing, here are just a few extra reasons to whip up this summery pasta salad.
- Dairy-Free. This easy pasta salad recipe is a light dairy-free recipe perfect for any gathering.
- Tree nut-Free. A quick change from The Fresh Market version, this light pasta recipe is free from pine nuts making it a tree nut-free dish.
- Vegan. Perfect for everyone, this light summery dish also happens to be a vegan recipe.
- Easy to make. Ready in just about 15 minutes, this easy pasta salad makes the perfect simple side dish that you can whip up in a moments notice.
- Pairs with everything. From chicken to shrimp to salmon and more this easy side goes will with just about everything!
How to Make Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Grape tomatoes– Pan roased to release juices and add a little extra flavor to the recipe.
- Spinach– Wilted and chopped to your desired consistency.
- Orzo pasta– Cooked to al dente for a light and delicious pasta salad.
- Lemon juice– Gives the dressing a bright zesty flavor.
- Olive oil– To cook the grape tomatoes and dress the finished pasta salad.
- Salt + Pepper- Flavors the pasta salad.
Directions
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside for later.
- Boil a pot of water: Bring a medium pot of water to boil.
- Cook orzo pasta: Once boiling, salt the water then add the orzo pasta and cook according to the package directions for al dente (about 9 minutes).
- Cook tomatoes: While the pasta cooks, heat a skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot add slices grape tomatoes to the skillet and cook with 1 teaspoon of salt until juices flow and the tomatoes are soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the spinach: Next add the chopped spinach and cook about 1 minute or until the spinach is wilted. Remove from heat.
- Rinse pasta: Once the pasta is cooked, drain and run under cold water.
- Add ingredients to a bowl: Transfer the orzo pasta to a large bowl and add the spinach and cooked grape tomatoes.
- Stir the dressing again before pouring over the pasta and tossing to coat.
- Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Refrigerate the pasta salad about 1 hour to allow the flavors to set.
Changes to the Pasta Salad
This lemon orzo pasta salad was inspired by the Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad at The Fresh Market. A few small tweaks made this pasta salad is a light and refreshing vegan option for your summer potlucks. Here are some of the changes I made to The Fresh Market version.
- Less oil. The dressing uses much less oil so you won’t be left with an oily splot on your plate where the pasta salad sat.
- Roasted grape tomatoes. In place of raw whole grape tomatoes I cut the grape tomatoes in half and cooked them to add a little extra flavor to the pasta salad.
- No pine nuts. To keep this dish tree-nut free, the pine nuts were omitted.
Other Mix-ins for your Pasta Salad
- Chopped cucumber
- Red Onion
- Feta crumbles– like this vegan version from Violife
What to Serve with Your Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
This lemon orzo pasta salad pairs well with everything! Here are a few of my favorite dishes to make with this summer pasta salad.
PASTA SALAD FACTS
Should you wash pasta for pasta salad?
Yes. Pasta salad is the only time you should run your pasta under running water. Rinsing the pasta under cold water stops the cooking process which also prevents a transfer of heat to the other vegetables in the salad.
How far in advance should you make your pasta salad?
I would not recommend making pasta salad more than a day in advance. You definitely want to give the pasta salad time for all of the flavors to meld together so allow for at least an hour before you plan to serve but feel free to make it up to 24 hours in advance.
How do you store pasta salad?
If you are planning to serve this pasta salad within an hour or so you can store it in the serving bowl or platter you plan to use, covered tightly with plastic wrap. If it’s going to be longer before serving or you are storing leftovers keep stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Try These Orzo Recipes Next
If you tried this delicious Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad and enjoyed it feel free to leave a comment below! I would love to hear how it went! Or, snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy to share all your life after dairy adventures!
You can also get delicious dairy-free recipes and tips by signing up for my newsletter!
Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
Fresh, flavorful, and easy this lemon orzo pasta salad makes the perfect addition to a potluck, picnic, or summer gathering.
Ingredients
Lemon Dressing
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice fresh
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Pepper
Pasta Salad
- 2 cups Spinach raw and roughly chopped
- 1 cup Orzo Pasta uncooked
- 1 pint Grape Tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
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In a small bowl whisk together 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Set aside for later.
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Bring a medium pot of water to boil.
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Once boiling, salt the water then add 1 cup orzo pasta and cook according to the package directions for al dente (about 9 minutes).
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While the pasta cooks, heat a skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
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Once hot, add sliced grape tomatoes to the skillet and cook with 1 teaspoon of salt until juices flow and the tomatoes are soft, about 5 minutes.
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Add the chopped spinach to the skillet and cook for about 1 minute or until the spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and set aside.
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Once the pasta is cooked, drain and run under cold water.
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Transfer the orzo pasta to a large bowl and add the spinach and cooked grape tomatoes.
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Stir the dressing again before pouring over the pasta and tossing to coat. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
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Refrigerate the pasta salad about 1 hour to allow the flavors to set.
