Easy Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad with Spinach and Feta
A fresh orzo pasta salad with lemon and garlic, throw in some chopped spinach and crumbled feta and you’ve got yourself a seriously good pasta on your hands. You won’t want to share it, but you will because you’re nice.
Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta, also known as Risoni, originating in the Mediterranean basin. Made from semolina wheat, it is commonly used in soups, but also goes really well in many types of pasta dishes. It’s such a fun pasta! Part of the ‘pastina’ (‘little pasta’ in Italian) family of pasta, it’s different from the same old elbow macaroni or corkscrew pasta.
This lemon orzo pasta salad is perfect for entertaining. It pairs well with grilled chicken or salmon, making a delicious meal for your next summer get together. It’s also hearty enough to stand alone as a light dinner on those days where you just don’t feel like doing much. Pair with some fresh fruit to round out your easy summer meal.
For more, easy summer side dishes, check out my Easy Quinoa and Lentil Salad, my Quick and Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad, or my Arugula Salad with Feta and Lemon Vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Orzo Pasta– rice-shaped pasta found in nearly every grocery store. For a healthier version, try whole wheat orzo.
Spinach– so healthy and so flavorful. Spinach is a perfect addition to this salad. You can also try Arugula if you would like, or a mix of the two. I actually added a bit of arugula to this dish when I made it. About a handful of spinach or spinach/arugula is enough to make one cup chopped.
Green Onion– I love green onion in this light salad. Regular onion would be too powerful, but you could use it if that’s all you have. I would use less though.
Poblano– probably my favorite pepper. Imparts a smoky, slightly spicy flavor. I roast the poblano to enhance its flavor. (A note about poblano-it can get smoky when you saute it, releasing the capsaicin, which can be bothersome for some people. I have also chopped it and microwaved it to soften it without it causing any issues. Please be sure to wash your hands after handling poblanos to remove any capsaicin from your hands.)
Feta– adds the salty, strong cheese flavor that makes this dish so good. Feta is one of my favorite cheeses.
Lemon-Garlic Aioli– lemon and garlic, two flavors that go so well together. I love garlic so I used three cloves, pressed. Feel free to use a bit less if you think three cloves would be too much.
Chef’s Tip- Make this dish about 1 hour before you’re planning to serve it to let the flavors develop.
Let’s Make This!
Cook the orzo according to the directions on the package. I use 1 cup of orzo and 2 cups of water. It usually takes about 15 minutes on the stove top. Be sure to stir intermittently so the pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
While the orzo is cooking, chop the green onion, poblano and spinach. Peel the garlic. For the spinach, I just pile it up and do a rough chop.
Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a medium size saute pan. Add the chopped poblano. Saute until slightly blackened and soft.
While poblano is sauteing, make the garlic aioli sauce. I mix everything up in a bowl, but feel free to use a food processor if you want a bit of smoother sauce. Since we are adding pressed garlic and mixing it into the pasta salad, having a smooth sauce isn’t really that necessary.
Add the cooked orzo, sauteed poblano, green onions, chopped spinach, feta and garlic-lemon aioli sauce in a large bowl. Mix until everything is incorporated. I have not felt the need to add salt or any spices to this recipe. The feta, lemon and garlic really shine in this dish and add so much flavor. I feel that adding spices would be too overpowering.
Why you’ll like this recipe…
The feta cheese and the lemon-garlic aioli taste so good together in this lemon orzo pasta. That, in my opinion, is what really makes this dish come together. Although, to be fair, those flavors would go really well in almost any savory dish. The mild green onions and fresh tasting spinach are what keep this dish from being too heavy.
Recipe Notes
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. I do not recommend freezing this pasta salad.
Quite honestly, any pasta would work in this dish. I love how well the orzo pasta blends in with the other ingredients though. It’s the star of the show without being overpowering. I would try to stick with a small pasta if you are going to substitute, such as Risi or Midolline, two other rice-shaped pastas.
Orzo is found in the pasta section of most major grocery stores. It is not too expensive either.
Yes, it is recommended to make this salad at least half an hour before you want to serve it, but no more than one day ahead of time. You want it to be as fresh as possible before you serve it!
Easy Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad with Spinach and Feta
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 2 cups water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 poblano
- 3/4 cup green onion
- 1 cup spinach, rough chopped
- 1 cup feta, crumbled
- 3 oz lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2-3 cloves garlic, pressed
Instructions
- Measure out 1 cup of dry orzo into a medium-sized sauce pan. Add 2 cups water. Set to boil on medium heat. Stir intermittently so pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
- While orzo is cooking, chop the poblano, green onion and spinach. For the spinach, I grab a large handful and do a rough chop. It doesn't need to be perfectly chopped into tiny pieces.
- Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a medium-sized saute pan. Add the poblano and stir a bit so the oil gets all over the poblano. Saute until the poblano is soft and a bit blackened. You don't need to babysit it, but you do want to stir intermittently so it does not burn. (Poblano gets quite smoky when sauteed, and it releases capsaicin. If this bothers you, you can always microwave it to soften it.)
- Into a large bowl, add the 3/4 cup green onion, 1 cup spinach, and sauteed poblano.
- In a small bowl, add the 3 oz of lemon juice and 1/2 cup mayonnaise. Whisk together until incorporated. It may be a bit lumpy, but it should smooth out as you continue to whisk vigorously. (Feel free to add the ingredients to a food processor and make the aioli this way. It will result in a smoother sauce.) You won't notice this so much once you add the garlic. Add the 2-3 cloves of pressed garlic and stir to incorporate.
- Once the orzo is done cooking, drain any remaining water, then stir in a bit of butter or olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together. Transfer into the large mixing bowl with the poblano, green onion and spinach. Add 1 cup of feta cheese and stir to incorporate everything.
- Add the lemon garlic aioli and stir until the sauce is incorporated into the pasta salad. Chill for at least 60 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Store lemon orzo pasta in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- This recipe is easy to make ahead. Can be made up to one day ahead of when you will need. It’s best to make it no less than one hour before you will need it.
- The garlic can be chopped and not pressed if you do not have a garlic press, it will just be a bit chunkier.
- Can use a different pasta, such as misi or midolline, or even corkscrew pasta.
- Poblano can be smoky when you saute it, and it does bother some people. You can replace the poblano with a bell pepper, or you can microwave it to soften it before you add it to the pasta. Just be sure to cut it up first.
Nutrition
About Author
This recipe was delicious!