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Home Pasta and Rice Salads

Greek Lemon Orzo Salad (Risoni)

By:Nagi
Published:11 Jan '17Updated:20 Jan '21
49 Comments
Recipe v Dozer v

This Lemon Orzo Salad is made with risoni / orzo, tossed through with the fixings of a Greek salad then drizzled with a bright zesty lemon vinaigrette. Serve it with a simple piece of grilled protein – or go all out and use a Greek yoghurt marinated chicken or Souvlaki!

Greek Lemon Orzo Salad (Risoni) - All the fixings of a Greek Salad tossed through orzo / risoni and dressed with a gorgeous zesty lemon vinaigrette. www.recipetineats.com

Greek Lemon Orzo Salad (Risoni)

I was going to post a cozy recipe today but it’s a stinking hot day here in Sydney (sorry to rub it in if you’re suffering through winter! 😉 ) and I literally can’t look at a big steaming pot of comfort food to even write up a recipe. So I’m saving it for next week when the weather cools down!

I know it was only last Monday when I posted One Pot Italian Chicken with Risoni (PS Risoni in Australia = Orzo in much of the rest of the world) but I wanted to use up the leftover risoni. I had planned to make a Greek Salad and on a whim, decided to change it up a bit by adding risoni and switching to a slightly thicker dressing. Liked it so much that I went and got another packet of risoni so I could make it again to photograph it.

Now I have more leftover risoni. 🤷🏻‍♀️ The vicious cycle of life as a food blogger. #FirstWorldProblems

Greek Lemon Orzo Salad (Risoni) - All the fixings of a Greek Salad tossed through orzo / risoni and dressed with a gorgeous zesty lemon vinaigrette. www.recipetineats.com

What is risoni?

Risoni is little rice shaped pasta which I adore because a) there is such a high dressing / sauce to pasta ratio compared to other larger pastas and b) it can be eaten with a spoon. What is it about non-soup food that can be eaten with a spoon that makes it so enjoyable? Oh wait – is it just me?

I do note that despite this chatter about you can shovel this down with a spoon, I’ve shot this with a fork. 🙄 Because I added a side of chicken. And in all honesty, 2 seconds after I took this shot, I shoved the chicken to the side, took a small unsatisfying scoop with the fork, then switched straight over to a spoon so I could get a proper mouthful. 😂

Greek Lemon Orzo Salad (Risoni) - All the fixings of a Greek Salad tossed through orzo / risoni and dressed with a gorgeous zesty lemon vinaigrette. www.recipetineats.com

This Lemon Orzo Salad is sort of a Greek Salad with orzo added. I say “sort of” because Greek Salad is dressed with a simple dressing made with just red wine vinegar and olive oil. No thickener – you don’t need it when you have chunks of tomato to soak up the dressing.

However, in this case, I decided to use a lemon vinaigrette thickened slightly with mustard so it clings to the little pieces of risoni better. Also, the bright zesty flavour of lemon adds so much to the flavour.

I served this with Greek Yoghurt marinated chicken using my Gyros recipe. If you’ve never tried yoghurt marinated chicken before, you’re missing out! Yoghurt is a sensational secret for flavour and tenderising meat. It’s safer than acids like lemon and vinegar (which can turn meat to mush if over marinated), infuses with more flavour and the chicken comes out beautifully tender.

I have to stop talking about chicken. This post is about the SALAD! And if you try it, tell me what you toss into it! – Nagi x

PS This would also be spectacular dressed with Honey Mustard Dressing, French Vinaigrette or Italian Dressing. Especially the Honey Mustard because it’s so thick, it will make this really indulgent!

PPS Rather than making a separate marinade for the chicken, a time saving tip is to double the dressing recipe and use half to marinate the chicken. If you cut into strips or pound to make it thin, then it only needs 20 minutes or so.

Greek Lemon Orzo Salad (Risoni) - All the fixings of a Greek Salad tossed through orzo / risoni and dressed with a gorgeous zesty lemon vinaigrette. www.recipetineats.com

More risoni / orzo recipes

  • One Pot Italian Chicken Orzo / Risoni Pasta – cosy, saucy one pot chicken and risoni dinner

  • Orzo / Risoni Bolognaise – one pot bolognese pasta dish!

  • Creamy Salmon Risoni / Orzo (15 Minute Meal) – tastes like risotto, except MUCH faster to make!

  • Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Orzo (Risoni) (One Pot) – tastes like a creamy mushroom risotto

  • Baked Greek Chicken Orzo (Risoni) – Greek chicken AND orzo made in one pot!

  • One Pot Creamy Chicken, Vegetable & Parmesan Orzo (Risoni) – creamy chicken and vegetable orzo, a quick 20 minute meal

  • Pea, Zucchini and Pesto Orzo / Risoni – a wonderful quick side dish

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Greek Lemon Orzo Salad (Risoni) - All the fixings of a Greek Salad tossed through orzo / risoni and dressed with a gorgeous zesty lemon vinaigrette. recipetineats.com

Greek Lemon Orzo Salad (Risoni)

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 10 mins
Total: 10 mins
Salad
5 from 12 votes
Servings6 -8
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 128
A fabulous side, great for taking to gatherings, and substantial enough to have as a meal, this Lemon Orzo Salad tastes like a Greek Salad with a bright zesty lemon dressing! As vegetable sizes can differ, adjust the quantities to your taste.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup / 200 g risoni / orzo pasta
  • 350 g / 12 oz cherry tomatoes , halved (or 2 large tomatoes)
  • 2 Lebanese / Persian cucumbers , diced
  • 150 g / 5 oz firm feta , cut into 1/2cm/ 1/2" cubes
  • 1/4 - 1/2 red onion , cut into wedges and sliced thinly
  • 1 green capsicum/bell pepper , cut into 3 cm / 2.25" strips (Note 1)
  • 150 g / 5 oz whole black olives , seed in (adjust qty to taste)
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Dressing

  • 2 tsp lemon zest
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard (or other mild mustard)
  • 1 garlic clove , minced
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Black pepper

Instructions

  • Place Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. Set aside for 10+ minutes.
  • Cook orzo / risoni per packet directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop them cooking further. Drain well.
  • Place orzo and remaining Salad ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently to coat. Serve!

Recipe Notes:

1. I forgot to add green capsicum. 🙂 I usually would because it's used in Greek Salads.
2. This makes enough to serve 3 as a meal or 6-8 as a side.
3. This would also be spectacular dressed with Honey Mustard Dressing, French Vinaigrette or Italian Dressing. Especially the Honey Mustard because it's so thick, it will make this really indulgent!
4. I served this with yoghurt marinated chicken from my Chicken Gyros recipe. It would also be fantastic with Souvlaki. Otherwise, rather than making a separate marinade for the chicken, a time saving tip is to double the dressing recipe and use half to marinate the chicken. If you cut into strips or pound to make it thin, then it only needs 20 minutes or so.
5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings.
lemon-orzo-salad-nutrition

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 257gCalories: 350cal (18%)Carbohydrates: 34.7g (12%)Protein: 9.1g (18%)Fat: 20.4g (31%)Saturated Fat: 5.9g (37%)Cholesterol: 22mg (7%)Sodium: 694mg (30%)Potassium: 296mg (8%)Fiber: 3.4g (14%)Sugar: 6.8g (8%)Vitamin A: 700IU (14%)Vitamin C: 19mg (23%)Calcium: 170mg (17%)Iron: 2.7mg (15%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

LIFE OF DOZER

Attempt to keep him cool…. He hasn’t quite figured out this whole baby pool thing yet…..

dozer-baby-pool2

Greek Lemon Orzo Salad (Risoni) - All the fixings of a Greek Salad tossed through orzo / risoni and dressed with a gorgeous zesty lemon vinaigrette. www.recipetineats.com
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49 Comments

  1. Julie says

    December 12, 2019 at 11:18 am

    Hi Nagi, I’m cooking your Greek Slow Roasted Leg of lamb. Just wondering if this Orzo salad is going to be lemony considering there’s lemon in the gravy for the lamb. Any suggestions please?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 12, 2019 at 5:23 pm

      Hi Julie, you can always cut back on the amount of lemon so it’s not too overwhelming – N x

      Reply
  2. Jue says

    December 12, 2019 at 10:11 am

    I sourced some italian made gluten free/egg free risoni and made this for a family bbq – it was another salad hit!

    Reply
  3. Lula D. Roberts says

    November 3, 2019 at 4:29 pm

    5 stars
    These look absolutely delicious! You have amazing food photography too :] As much as I know my girls will love these, I know I will too!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 4, 2019 at 8:17 pm

      Thanks so much Lula ❤️

      Reply
  4. Melissa Collins says

    March 20, 2019 at 4:38 am

    Nagi, One!!!! million thanks for the Greek Lemon Orzo salad. You should bottle the dressing for this recipe! Its a perfect substitute for the “yucky” mayo that people use in the US on chicken and tuna salad. Thank you for all your recipes – all the ones I’ve tried are magnificent.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 20, 2019 at 3:30 pm

      Thanks so much for the great feedback Melissa!

      Reply
  5. Dawn Sajadea says

    June 25, 2017 at 6:15 am

    Another incredibly delicious recipe from recipetineats! My guests and family loved this and are begging me to make it again tonight. I included the chicken marinated in yogurt and it was so scrumptious and fresh and delightful- especially here in 115° F Phoenix.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 25, 2017 at 6:13 pm

      Pleased to hear you enjoyed it Dawn, thanks for letting me know! N xx

      Reply
  6. Carlos At Spoonabilities says

    February 19, 2017 at 8:19 am

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi, I love Doze picture in this tiny pool! This salad is my favorite salad to make for a big crowd because it is easy and can be done ahead a time. Usually, I do it with grilled shrimp, but I really like our clever idea using the same dressing as a marinade for the chicken for a whole Greek experience.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 20, 2017 at 10:18 am

      Doesn’t he look RIDICULOUS!?? ?

      Reply
  7. Lisa Kelly says

    February 1, 2017 at 7:38 am

    5 stars
    I made this for friends over the weekend with your Greek Gyro’s Chicken and it was a complete hit. Love new and different salad recipes. Keep em coming Nagi!!!!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 1, 2017 at 8:43 am

      Woo hoo! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this, thanks for letting me know Lisa! N xx

      Reply
  8. Josie H says

    January 29, 2017 at 9:56 am

    5 stars
    This is FLAWLESS! I am completely obsessed with this. Every. Single. Ingredient. I am addicted to olives & tomatoes. The flavours & the freshness. I skipped the green pepper too.
    Hey! I bet your marinated feta would be good in this too! Mmmmmm. Thank you so much Nagi.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 31, 2017 at 6:32 am

      OMG what a GREAT idea Josie! I am so glad you enjoyed this, I love it! It’s so refreshing. But wait – isn’t it super cooooold over there???? N xx

      Reply
      • Josie Halbach says

        January 31, 2017 at 6:48 am

        It is cold here, yes. I live in a unique region that gets what we call a “chinook”. It’s a First Nations term for what science calls a “fohn wind”. It is a warm wind that is so strong it can “eat” 30 cm of snow in one day. The record holding temperature change, in one day, was from -48 to +9 (celcius).

        So, yes it gets cold here. Yesterday was 11C though. Which is REALLY warm for a January day on the Canadian prairies!! Our chinook is leaving though, temperatures are set to plunge again starting today.

        I guess I still cook meals like this occasionally during the winter to remind myself that spring is coming!

        Reply
  9. Jodie says

    January 19, 2017 at 6:36 pm

    5 stars
    Yum!!! This is so delicious. Thank you for a lovely simple recipe to make that is so refreshing and full of flavour.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 21, 2017 at 7:11 am

      Awesome! Thanks for trying my recipe Jodie, so glad you enjoyed it! N x

      Reply
  10. Vera says

    January 16, 2017 at 12:28 pm

    Hello Nagi, Dorza needs Biger Bath and i need Biger salad That’s ALL am eating. Love your mango post, beautiful Family. Photos Are picture perfect. SORRY DO NOT AND CAN NOT BELIEVE DOZER EATING MANGO….!! YOU did Not put any vodika on IT, ha, haaa! Regards Vera.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 16, 2017 at 7:40 pm

      BA HA HA!!! Dozer LOVES mango! And NO of course there is no vodka on it! ? N xx PS Yes Dozer does need a bigger bath….bigger everything. I need a bigger car, bigger bed for him…the list goes ON!

      Reply
  11. Julia @ HappyFoods Tube says

    January 12, 2017 at 8:05 pm

    Yummy! Love Greek salad and love orzo! Putting it on my to do list! Love the pic of Dozer! 🙂

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 13, 2017 at 2:58 pm

      Seriously, isn’t Greek salad one of the best salads in this world??? 🙂 Happy weekend Julia! N x

      Reply
  12. Carol Borchardt says

    January 12, 2017 at 1:56 pm

    Already planning to live on this all next summer long! My kind of salad!

    Signed, Suffering Through Winter!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 13, 2017 at 2:57 pm

      It’s so stinking hot here I could do with a blast of winter!!! N x

      Reply
  13. Laurel says

    January 12, 2017 at 1:36 pm

    Nagi
    It looks fabulous! I have a huge Meyer lemon tree bursting with fruit. Good excuse to make it! By the way no rubbing in the weather. Here in Northern California we are experiencing flooding! The pineapple express won’t turn off!
    Enjoy the sunshine.
    Laurel

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 13, 2017 at 2:57 pm

      My memory of California is sunshine ALL YEAR ROUND!!!!! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Eha says

    January 12, 2017 at 11:05 am

    Looking in horror at the weather forecast for the next week I can see four days over 40 C and the other three just under! No air-conditioning, so life has to be planned around the conditions – this salad fits it perfectly and with orzo added one really does not need anything else for a full meal 🙂 ! Fork or spoon don’t count at my place since I tend to eat anything cut up with chopsticks anyways . . . 🙂 !!! Methinks Dozer IS trying to tell you he outgrew baby-anything quite awhile ago . . . . he’d love the hose put on in his direction tho’ I am certain!!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 13, 2017 at 2:56 pm

      I hear you Eha! I don’t have air conditioning either, so I was happily living on this for days! PS Dozer is getting plenty of hose downs…. 🙂

      Reply
  15. Bethany @ athletic avocado says

    January 12, 2017 at 7:50 am

    So many wonderful flavors in this salad! Now this is the kind of salad that I crave!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 12, 2017 at 8:21 am

      I hear you Bethany! I’ve had this quite a few times in the past week and I still want MORE!!! 🙂

      Reply
  16. Helen @ Scrummy Lane says

    January 12, 2017 at 4:56 am

    Nagi! You often speak my language with your recipes here on the blog, but today in particular, as you can well imagine.

    Yay for Greek food!

    What a fabulous idea to add risoni to your Greek salad. I love this idea, and the dressing sounds divine!

    P.S. Ha – I also have leftover risoni in the cupboard. It’s been there forever – now I know what to do with it! 🙂

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 12, 2017 at 8:16 am

      I KNEW this would get you!!! How are you Helen?? How’s the BUMP! 🙂

      Reply
  17. Ashika says

    January 12, 2017 at 2:37 am

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi, no offense, but the first thing I do when I read your posts is to scroll right to the bottom to read about Dozer. He is so adorable?, I have four of my own adorable dogs too. Oh, and I LOVE your recipes as well.? They always turn out great.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 12, 2017 at 8:03 am

      Ha – offence?? It makes me smile! You know how they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach? Ok, well for me, it’s through DOZER! Ba ha ha!!!

      Reply
  18. Nikki ouzoundis says

    January 12, 2017 at 2:28 am

    Hi Nagi
    I came across your website and love your easy layed back and fun loving approach to cooking. I have tried many of your receipes and my family and friends never complain.

    Thank you for helping me enjoy cooking (it was always a drag trying to figure out what to cook every day). Your ideas and receipes are brilliant and I normally have all the ingedients already on hand

    Thank you

    Nikki

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 12, 2017 at 8:01 am

      Thanks for the compliment Nikki! I’m so glad you are enjoying my recipes, thank you for letting me know! N xx

      Reply
  19. Zdenka says

    January 12, 2017 at 1:39 am

    I am with you. Forks are overrated.
    (There might be sub-zero temperature outside but you made me to crave this salad. And summer. And hot. Thanks a lot.) :)))

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 12, 2017 at 8:01 am

      Ohhhh……then Friday’s recipe is ALSO going to be torture for you!!! but hold tight, there is a warm and cozy one coming on Monday! 🙂 N xx

      Reply
  20. Pat says

    January 12, 2017 at 1:38 am

    Great recipe, Nagi….Love all those wonderful flavors 🙂

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 12, 2017 at 8:00 am

      Though you might approve! 🙂 Happy New Year Pat! N xx

      Reply
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