Lemon Orzo Salad

This lemon orzo salad is packed with bright spring flavors thanks to roasted asparagus, green peas, and a light and refreshing lemon vinaigrette! It also takes just 30 minutes to make using 10 ingredients.

Asparagus and lemon feel like the definition of spring flavors, so what better way to celebrate the coming of warmer days than with a spring orzo salad?

If you need a break from classic pasta salads, orzo is a great option because it still has that pasta feel but with something a little different.

Unlike a lot of pasta salads with asparagus, this one uses roasted asparagus because I think that it is just so much more flavorful than raw or blanched asparagus.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Quick & easy: Made using just 10 ingredients (plus salt & pepper) in 30 minutes. This recipe involves minimal prep time, so you'll only be actively cooking for about 15 minutes.
• Flavorful: Filled with bright, zesty, and light flavors from a simple lemon vinaigrette. Roasting asparagus deepens its flavor, creating a nice contrast to the sweet pea flavor.
• Versatile: Add a can of chickpeas to make this a main dish, or serve as a side. This salad is completely vegetarian and needs just a few easy swaps to make vegan.

This pasta salad features a variation of my favorite lemon vinaigrette, which is also used on my veggie pasta salad and arugula salad recipes.

Ingredients

• Orzo, also known as risoni, is a grain that looks like rice but is actually pasta. You can usually find orzo in the pasta aisle.
• Asparagus: This recipe uses one bunch of fresh asparagus. If asparagus isn't in season, try broccolini instead.
• Frozen peas: These add a pop of sweetness and texture. The peas should be thawed but don't actually need to be cooked. Just set a cup aside while prepping the rest of the ingredients.
• Lemon juice and zest: Use fresh lemons, not lemon juice from a bottle. Lemon zest adds a ton of flavor and really drives home the lemon part of this lemon orzo salad, so don't skip it! I use this microplane to zest lemons.
• Almonds: Sliced almonds are toasted alongside the asparagus for extra texture and depth of flavor. I usually buy the small packs of sliced almonds found in the baking aisle. Slivered almonds or roughly chopped whole almonds also work.
• Extra virgin olive oil is used in the lemon vinaigrette and with the roasted asparagus. I don't recommend substituting this in the vinaigrette because it contributes a lot of flavor.

How to make

Start by removing and discarding the woody ends from the asparagus. This is usually the bottom 1-2 inches but it varies in each asparagus spear.

Toss the asparagus with olive oil and salt so that each piece is well coated. Spread out on a baking sheet.

Roast asparagus at 425F for 15-20 minutes, until it is golden and charred on some sides. Remove from the oven and stir. Sprinkle with the sliced almonds and return to the oven for 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on the almonds, as they toast quickly and burn easily.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in a well-salted pot of boiling water. When cooked to al dente, drain the water and toss the olive oil with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. This keeps it from sticking to itself.

Make the lemon vinaigrette by whisking together lemon juice, olive oil, lemon zest, honey, salt, and pepper in a small jar.

Add sliced shallot directly to the vinaigrette. This tenderizes the shallot and decreases some of its pungent flavors.

When all of the ingredients are prepped, simply toss everything together. Enjoy immediately or cover and transfer to the fridge to chill for 3-4 hours.

Expert tips

• Asparagus prep: Slice off the bottom 1-2 inches of the asparagus. This is the part known as the "woody stems" that does not cook well and has a very woody texture. Check out more tips on prepping asparagus.
• Cook orzo in well-salted water to al dente. I've found that orzo has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot more than other pasta shapes, so make sure to add a lot of water.
• Enjoy warm or cold. If enjoying cold, chill the orzo salad in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
• To make gluten-free, simply use a gluten-free orzo like this kind from DeLallo.
• For more protein: I add a can of chickpeas or even meatless chicken to make this a balanced vegetarian meal. If you aren't vegetarian, I've heard that this salad is perfect with salmon.

Storage and make-ahead tips

• Make ahead: The orzo can be made up to a day in advance. Toss with olive oil to keep the orzo from sticking to itself. The lemon vinaigrette can be made 3-4 days in advance. The actual salad can be assembled up to 24 hours before serving.
• Leftovers: Keep leftover salad refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days.
• Freezing: Usually I wouldn't recommend freezing a pasta salad, but I accidentally froze this one (because it just happens sometimes) and it thawed well.

Looking for more pasta salads?

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