Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad with Feta and Roasted Vegetables

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This fresh and easy orzo pasta salad is full of delicious roasted vegetables, feta cheese, Kalamata olives, and dressed with a delicious lemony vinaigrette.

overhead finished lemon orzo pasta salad in white bowl with lemon and parsley garnish

I wasn’t sure if I should call this a roasted vegetable salad or pasta salad because it is just so full of great tasting produce. Every bite has zucchini, tomato, bell pepper, onion all roasted to bring out the best flavors. The veggie combination along with Kalamata olives, feta cheese, oregano, and the lemony vinaigrette soak into the orzo pasta for an amazing Mediterranean inspired salad.

This comes together with just a little effort and can easily be made for a large group or to have for lunch all week. In fact, I think this gets a little better every day it sits in the fridge because the flavors soak deep into the orzo pasta.

This roasted vegetable salad is vegetarian and can easily be made vegan by leaving out the cheese or subbing vegan cheeses.

It can also be bulked out with some leftovers from a Whole Roasted Chicken to make it a little more filling.

Contents hide

Ingredients

How to make it?

FAQs

Tips For Success

What to Serve with Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad

Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad

Lemon Vinaigrette

Ingredients

Roasted Vegetables Orzo Salad

Orzo Pasta- This is small football shaped pasta that is great for salad and soups. Cooked to al dente, it adds a good bite and soaks up the vinaigrette and juices from the roasted veg.
Kalamata Olives- These add meaty texture and a nice saltiness to the dish.
Feta Cheese- Crumbles of feta add creamy texture and a soft tanginess.
Zucchini- Small pieces add good flavor and texture. They stand up to roasting and have a little bite even after being cooked for a while.
Grape Tomatoes- Small varieties work best because they have more flesh and less water. I cut these in half so that some of the juices can evaporate.
Sweet Bell Peppers- I use red and orange bell peppers which are very sweet and their delicious flavor concentrates with roasting.
Red Onion- Sharp crisp onion adds great spice and texture.

Lemon Vinaigrette

Lemon Juice- Fresh lemon juice adds bright tart flavor to the vinaigrette and is the backbone flavor of this dish.
Red Wine Vinaigrette- A small amount of vinegar adds even more acidity to this dish.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil- A little bit of healthy fat helps spread the flavors evenly throughout the orzo pasta salad.
Fresh Garlic- This adds a fresh aroma and bit of spice.
Oregano- Slightly bitter flavor and a strong aroma balance some of the salt and tart. It goes very well with lemon and other Mediterranean flavors.
Chili Flakes- A pinch of chili flake will add a little kick without being too hot.

How to make it?

Step 1: Clean and cut vegetables for roasting.

Preheat your oven to 425°.
Clean and chop vegetables for roasting. Notice you will need to dice your produce into small, even pieces so that you can get a taste of everything in one bite.
Lay the chopped vegetables on a lined sheet pan.

Step 2: Season and roast diced vegetables.

Next, mix salt, pepper, oregano, and granulated garlic into two tablespoon olive oil. Then drizzle over the diced vegetables and toss until everything is well coated.
Roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Once the vegetables are tender and some of the juices have evaporated, remove them from the oven and let cool.

step 2-roasted Mediterranean Vegetables on sheet pan

Step 3: Cook pasta and mix vinaigrette.

While the vegetables are in the oven, boil one cup of orzo in salted water. Follow the package instructions for cook time.
Then, drain the cooked orzo and pour it into a large bowl.
Add the diced Kalamata olives to hot orzo and stir. Let the pasta sit out and cool. The oil and brine from the olives will lightly coat the pasta and keep it from sticking while it cools.
Mix together the juice of one lemon, red wine vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, black pepper, and chili flakes to make the vinaigrette.

step 3-Cooked orzo pasta and Kalamata olives in large glass bowl

Step 4: Assemble roasted vegetables and lemon orzo salad.

Transfer the warm vegetables to the bowl of orzo, add the lemon vinaigrette and toss together.
At this point you can let the salad sit out for up to 30 minutes to cool or transfer it to the refrigerator.
The final step is to add feta cheese and this can be done right before serving.

step 4- Orzo pasta, olives, vegetables, feta in glass bowl with dressing

FAQs

Can this Lemon Orzo Salad be made the day ahead?

Yes! In fact, this pasta salad tastes better the second day. The lemony vinaigrette soaks into the orzo and roasted vegetables for a deeper flavor.

How long will this last in the fridge?

This is healthy to eat for up to five days if kept covered in the refrigerator. It is best days 1-3, when the vegetables still have a firm texture.

Tips For Success

Take the time to cut the vegetables into nice even pieces. Salad recipes turn out the best when you can get a fork full of everything.
If your pasta gets a little bit sticky while it cools you can add a drizzle of olive oil to help it stay free.
Notice that there isn’t any extra salt added to the vinaigrette. There should be plenty of salt from the salted water the pasta is cooked in as well as the seasoned vegetables and Kalamata olives. If you get the urge to add some extra salt, wait until the dish has been in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let all of the flavors come together.