Rainbow Orzo Salad with Roasted Veggies and Lemon Dressing

This Rainbow Orzo Salad is a bright, fresh summer side dish—full of crisp vegetables, fresh herbs and tender orzo pasta, all tossed in a zesty lemon herb dressing. It’s quick to make and perfect for picnics, barbecues, or a simple weekday lunch.

If you want an easy, flavorful dish that showcases summer produce, this Rainbow Orzo Salad delivers. The orzo soaks up the lemon herb dressing while the chopped vegetables add color, texture and crunch. It pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, fish or steak, and it’s also substantial enough to enjoy on its own for a light lunch.

This recipe is straightforward and comes together in about 20 minutes of active time. The only part that really takes time is chopping the vegetables—finely diced vegetables make the salad look and taste better, and they help every bite pick up a balance of pasta, veg and dressing.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Orzo pasta – 1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo (or substitute another small pasta)
• Salt – 1 teaspoon for the cooking water
• Red bell pepper – 1, finely chopped
• Orange bell pepper – 1, finely chopped
• English cucumber – 1, finely chopped
• Small red onion – 1, finely chopped
• Corn – 1 cup fresh or frozen
• Fresh basil – 1/3 cup, chopped
• Fresh parsley – 1/4 cup, chopped
• Lemon herb dressing – see recipe below
• Sea salt + ground black pepper – to taste

How to Make Rainbow Orzo Salad

This salad comes together in five simple steps. Follow these tips for best results:

1. Chop the vegetables and herbs. Finely dice the peppers, cucumber, red onion and corn if necessary. Chop the basil and parsley and set everything aside.
2. Cook the orzo. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a teaspoon of salt and cook the orzo according to package directions until al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent clumping. Drain and rinse under cold water until cooled.
3. Make the dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl or jar.
4. Toss everything together. In a large bowl, combine the cooled orzo, chopped vegetables and herbs. Pour the lemon herb dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
5. Marinate if possible. You can serve immediately, but the flavors deepen if you refrigerate the salad for a few hours or overnight. Before serving, toss again and consider reserving a little extra dressing to freshen the salad.

Homemade Lemon Herb Dressing

This bright, tangy dressing is what makes the salad sing. It soaks into the orzo and vegetables, delivering fresh lemon, garlic and herb flavors in every bite. Combine the following:

• Olive oil – 1/4 cup
• Red wine vinegar – 3 tablespoons
• Lemon juice – 2 tablespoons (about half a lemon)
• Dijon mustard – 2 tablespoons
• Garlic – 2 cloves, minced
• Dried oregano – 1 teaspoon
• Kosher salt – 1 teaspoon
• Ground black pepper – 1/2 teaspoon

Whisk these ingredients until the dressing is emulsified. Taste and adjust lemon, salt or mustard to your preference.

Prepping and Storage

This orzo salad is delicious served warm or cold and keeps well in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days when stored in an airtight container. To save time, chop the vegetables and make the dressing a day ahead. If you prepare the salad in advance, reserve a little dressing to drizzle on just before serving so the flavors stay bright.

Substitutions and Variations

• Swap orzo for another small pasta, quinoa, rice or farro for a different texture.
• Add vegetables like zucchini, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives or blanched broccoli. Fold in greens such as spinach, kale or arugula if you like.
• Stir in crumbled feta or goat cheese for creaminess and extra flavor.
• Add protein: shredded chicken, cooked salmon, shrimp or canned beans such as chickpeas or white beans make this a heartier main dish.
• Try alternative dressings such as a balsamic vinaigrette or a creamy tahini dressing to change the flavor profile.

Recipe Details

Rainbow Orzo Salad

Prep Time: 10 mins   Cook Time: 10 mins   Total Time: 20 mins   Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
• 1 teaspoon salt (for cooking water)
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 orange bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 English cucumber, finely chopped
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
• 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

For the Lemon Herb Dressing

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about half a lemon)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 teaspoon salt, and cook the orzo until al dente following package directions. Stir occasionally to avoid clumping. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool.
2. While the orzo cooks, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl or jar.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cooled orzo with the finely chopped vegetables and herbs. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to let the flavors deepen. Toss again before serving.

Nutrition (per serving, approximate)

• Calories: 250 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 8.2 g
• Protein: 1.2 g
• Fat: 7.1 g
• Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
• Sodium: 309 mg
• Fiber: 1.4 g
• Sugar: 2.8 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an estimate.

More Salad Ideas

• Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad
• Summer Pesto Pasta Salad
• Marinated Summer Caprese Salad
• Loaded Veggie Pasta Salad with Sweet Basil Vinaigrette
• Summer Quinoa Salad

If you try this Rainbow Orzo Salad and enjoy it, please share a photo on social media with your own hashtag or save the recipe for later. I love seeing how people make it their own!