This herb orzo salad with a homemade Italian dressing is light, flavorful, and packed with fresh ingredients. It’s perfect for make-ahead lunches, picnics, or a refreshing side dish for warm-weather meals.
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What’s great about this recipe
- This is a cool pasta salad with fresh herbs and vegetables, a perfect side for warm weather meals.
- Loaded with vegetables and herbs, it’s a great option to serve as a vegetarian-friendly side for your veggie-loving friends.
- It’s make-ahead friendly and holds up well in the fridge, so it’s perfect for cookouts, picnics, and parties.
- You can customize it by swapping in different vegetables, cheeses, or dressings to suit your crowd’s taste.
Ingredients you’ll need
🍝 Orzo – This small, rice-shaped pasta is the star of the salad. It cooks quickly and soaks up the dressing beautifully without getting mushy.
🍅 Produce – Cherry or grape tomatoes add color and a touch of sweetness. Raw zucchini brings a tender-crisp texture and mild flavor that plays well with the other ingredients. A tablespoon of paper-thin sliced onion adds just the right amount of sharpness without overpowering. Use red, white, or yellow—whatever you have on hand.
🧀 Feta cheese – Crumbled feta adds a salty note that balances the vinaigrette and veggies.
🌿 Herbs and spices – Dill gives the salad a fresh, herby lift, while parsley brightens everything up. Salt is used to cook the orzo and maybe a touch at the end, if needed.
🫙 Italian dressing – A homemade vinaigrette made with olive oil, vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of red pepper. Light, flavorful, and easy to shake together.
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make herb orzo salad
Make the dressing.
Combine the vinegar, garlic, sugar, and seasonings in a jar. Stir, then slowly add the olive oil while whisking. Seal and shake until blended. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Cook and cool the orzo.
Cook the orzo according to the package directions, then drain using a fine mesh strainer. Toss the hot orzo with 1-2 tablespoons of the dressing to add flavor and prevent sticking. Let it cool.
Add the vegetables, feta, and herbs.
Once the orzo is cool, add the tomatoes, zucchini, onion, feta, dill, and parsley to a large bowl.
Dress the salad.
Pour in more dressing and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Reserve some dressing for serving.
Chill and serve.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Toss again with reserved dressing just before serving.
Substitutions and variations
No orzo but still have a hankering for this refreshing pasta salad? Other small pasta shapes like ditalini, small shells, or elbows will work too if that’s what you have on hand.
If you're short on time and want to skip the homemade dressing, use your favorite store-bought Italian or Greek-style vinaigrette.
Try a different cheese. If feta’s not your thing, thinly sliced and chopped parmesan or crumbled queso fresco can also work.
Change up the vegetables. Cucumber is a great option for this salad because it’s cool and crisp. You can also try a small amount of diced bell pepper, just don’t overdo it so it doesn’t overwhelm the other flavors.
Recipe tips and notes
- Use a bowl that’s large enough so you can stir without the ingredients spilling over.
- Use a silicone (rubber) spatula to gently stir and avoid tearing the ingredients.
- Cool the orzo quickly by stirring gently to help release steam. You can also spread it out on a baking sheet to speed things up.
- Let the pasta cool before adding the rest of the ingredients. If the orzo is still hot, the vegetables can wilt and the cheese may melt or lose its shape.
- Save 1-2 tablespoons of dressing to use right before serving to loosen the pasta and give it a beautiful sheen.
Storing Instructions
If handled properly, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Freezing is not recommended, because it can affect the texture of the pasta and vegetables.
If you have leftover dressing, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 4–5 days. Shake well before using.
Food safety: Refrigerate leftovers promptly and do not leave the salad at room temperature for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F). Discard any leftovers that have been out longer than that. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
If you liked this herb orzo salad, check out some of our other cool sides—like classic macaroni salad, spaghetti pasta salad, a ham pasta salad that’s perfect for using up leftover ham, and chicken macaroni salad made with chicken and sweetened with apples for a deliciously different combo. They’re all great for parties, lunches, or easy side dishes.
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📖 Recipe
Herb Orzo Salad with Italian Dressing
Ingredients
Homemade Italian Dressing
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 small garlic clove grated or finely minced (about ½ teaspoon)
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- Pinch of crushed red pepper optional
Pasta Salad
- 1 cup orzo makes about 2½ cups cooked
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved or quartered depending on size
- 1 small zucchini quartered lengthwise and cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1½ cups)
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1 tablespoon onion paper-thin sliced and finely chopped (red, white, or yellow)
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
Make the dressing
- Add the red wine vinegar, garlic, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper (if using) to a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. Stir well. Slowly stream in the olive oil while stirring with a fork or small whisk. Cover tightly and shake vigorously until the dressing is blended and emulsified. Refrigerate until ready to use. Shake again before each use, as separation may occur.
Make the pasta salad
- Cook the orzo according to the package directions until al dente, usually 8–10 minutes. Drain using a fine mesh strainer (regular colanders may let the orzo slip through the holes).
- Transfer the hot orzo to a large bowl and immediately toss with 1–2 tablespoons of the prepared dressing to infuse flavor and prevent sticking. Let it cool while you prepare the vegetables.
- Once the orzo is cool, add the tomatoes, zucchini, onion, crumbled feta, dill, and parsley. Toss well to combine.
- Add more dressing and toss until everything is evenly coated. Reserve a tablespoon or two to add just before serving. Some of the dressing will be absorbed as the salad chills, and a final drizzle helps loosen it up and adds a nice glossy finish.
- Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. Toss again with the reserved dressing right before serving.
Notes
- Use a bowl that’s large enough so you can stir without the ingredients spilling over.
- Use a silicone (rubber) spatula to gently stir and avoid tearing the ingredients.
- Cool the orzo quickly by stirring gently to help release steam. You can also spread it out on a baking sheet to speed things up.
- Let the pasta cool before adding the rest of the ingredients. If the orzo is still hot, the vegetables can wilt and the cheese may melt or lose its shape.
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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