Bonus Recipe: Sunny Orzo Pasta Salad

lemon + garlic + parsley + feta

Hello!

As we move into the final weeks of summer, it feels like the right time to share a pasta salad recipe. This chilled orzo pasta salad will carry you through the hot days ahead when you don’t want to turn on the oven to make dinner.

I don’t know about you, but I can happily eat pasta salad as my main course, especially if it’s paired with glass of wine, a quiet house and a book to read while I eat. But since that dreamy scenario rarely happens, I’m usually serving this salad with grilled sausages or chicken (or store-bought rotisserie) to keep the rest of the family satisfied.

I’ve been making this orzo pasta salad for so long that I’m not sure where the original recipe came from. I’ve changed it slightly over the years, but not much. One thing I’ve never changed is adding a dash of turmeric to the boiling pasta water to give the orzo a sunny yellow color.

This pasta salad isn’t complicated. You mix orzo with lemon, oil and garlic then add a generous amount of fresh parsley and crumbled feta. There’s plenty of bright, fresh, lemony flavor and creamy, salty cheese to give the pasta plenty of flavor without adding anything more. BUT you can also use this recipe as a starting point to create the pasta salad of your dreams.

Want protein? Add beans, chicken breast or smoked salmon. Want briny, salty flavor? Add Kalamata olives, capers or sun dried tomatoes. Want more vegetables? Add cherry tomatoes or roasted zucchini.

The versatility of this recipe is why it’s been my go-to pasta salad for so many years. It’s looks pretty, it’s easy to make and it’s so, so good!