This orzo salad recipe will quickly become a family favorite with its flavorful (and guilt-free!) yogurt dill dressing.
You can’t beat a good pasta salad during a hot summer’s day and this, my friends, is a good pasta salad!
I believe that orzo is the perfect pasta for salads. Because it’s similar in size to the veggies, you’re destined to get a perfect forkful of pasta, vegetables, and dressing. I love this spring orzo salad with asparagus and arugula, or my popular southwestern orzo salad.
About this Orzo Salad Recipe
Orzo salad with yogurt dill dressing would be welcome at a backyard bbq or potluck. As far as pasta salads go, it’s fairly healthy eating: lots of fresh veggies and a light dressing made of nonfat Greek yogurt. Use whole wheat orzo to make it even healthier.
Use this orzo salad to make a filling lunch: make a bed of spinach (or arugula, or romaine, or whatever green you like) on your plate, give it quick squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and top it with a scoop of this orzo salad. A perfect lunch and a perfect way to re-purpose leftovers.
I adapted this recipe from a recipe on my colleague Liz’s site — the original dressing is a bit different than mine, plus I included a few different vegetables.
Make this pasta salad your own
The great thing about an orzo salad recipe like this is that you can add whatever vegetables you have on hand or whatever you like. If you like onions, add those. If you like peppers, add those. Don’t like tomatoes? Leave them out. Have some fresh corn? That would be lovely!
I’m sure you’ll enjoy the fresh flavors of dill and parsley in this orzo salad recipe as well as the tangy, flavorful (and guilt-free!) dressing.
Orzo, the perfect pasta for salad!
Here’s some more great orzo pasta salad recipes for you to try!
- Spinach Salad with Orzo, Chickpeas and Chicken Meatballs
- Southwestern Orzo Salad
- Bruschetta Orzo Pasta Salad
- Orzo Salad with Watermelon, Feta and Chicken
- Orzo Salad with Chicken and Vegetables (uses rotisserie chicken!)
- Greek Orzo Salad with Roasted Shrimp
- Avocado and Feta Cheese Orzo Salad from Diethood
- Warm Strawberry Bacon Orzo Salad from How Sweet It Is
Orzo Salad Recipe with Yogurt Dill Dressing
This orzo salad recipe will quickly become a family favorite with its flavorful (and guilt-free!) yogurt dill dressing.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 16 oz. box orzo (uncooked)
- 1 cup peas – fresh or frozen
- 3 roma tomatoes, seeds removed, diced
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 2 medium carrots – diced
- 1 medium red onion – minced
For the Yogurt-Dill Dressing
- 1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 6 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook orzo according to package directions. In the last 2 minutes of cooking time, add the peas to the pot with the orzo. Drain peas and pasta in large colander, and set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine dressing ingredients and whisk to combine.
- In a large serving bowl, mix together orzo, peas, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, and dressing until everything is coated with dressing. Check for seasoning, add more salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Pasta will soak up some of the dressing (as shown in these photos – they were taken the day after making the salad). If necessary, add more dressing to achieve desired consistency.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 229Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 290mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 9g
RachelCooks.com sometimes provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as they are not calculated by a registered dietitian. Please consult a medical professional for any specific nutrition, diet, or allergy advice.
Husband’s take: He is in the “love this” category.
Changes I would make: None are necessary but feel free to try different vegetables.
Difficulty: Easy.
