This Asparagus Orzo Salad is the perfect, fresh spring and summer side dish that is packed with flavor. Easy to make with tender roasted asparagus, orzo pasta, creamy feta cheese, fresh dill and a light and zesty lemon dressing. Great for the summer BBQs, picnics, meal prep or a packed lunch, it’s a crowd pleaser!
Whether you are entertaining guests, or simply looking for a healthy lunch to enjoy throughout the week, this lemon asparagus orzo salad is guaranteed to become a new favourite. Roasting the asparagus brings out so much flavor while adding delicious caramelised edges that pair perfectly with salty feta, fragrant dill and a fresh lemon dressing.
If you are looking for an easy pasta salad that is lighter the classic versions loaded with mayonnaise, this asparagus orzo salad is exactly what you need. Made with a light and fresh vinaigrette style lemon dressing and no mayo. Just like this fresh Lemon orzo salad with feta or this Chickpea Orzo Salad.
This Asparagus orzo salad is light enough for warm summer days but filling enough to enjoy as a main meal. It also makes a fantastic side dish alongside grilled vegetables like this Grilled Zucchini dish, Southwestern black bean burgers or your favourite barbecue dishes. Best of all, it tastes even better after sitting for a while, so it’s perfect for meal prep!
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Ingredients
This orzo pasta salad with asparagus comes together with just a handful of fresh ingredients listed below. For the full written recipe with the quantities, see the recipe card below.
- Fresh asparagus, trimmed and sliced at a diagonal into 1-inch pieces
- Red onion, sliced, ads a wonderful crunch and bite to this salad. Yellow onion will also work.
- Olive oil, salt and ground black pepper, for roasting the asparagus and onion.
- Uncooked orzo (also called risoni), a small pasta that has a similar shape as rice, traditionally made from white flour. It can be substituted with other small pasta or a gluten free orzo if desired.
- Feta cheese, crumbled. It’s salty, creamy and absolutely delicious in this asparagus and orzo salad. To make this salad vegan, use vegan feta cheese alternative.
- Fresh dill, chopped herbs adds freshness and lots of flavor to this pasta salad.
Dressing
- Olive oil, a good quality extra virgin olive oil tastes great in this dressing.
- Lemon, both the zest and juice for a lovely lemon flavor.
- Garlic, gives this dressing a punch of flavour.
- Honey, to balance out the acid from the lemon juice. For a vegan option, use maple syrup.
- Dijon mustard, just a little adds a lot of flavor to the fresh lemon dressing.
- Sea salt and ground black pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Making this lemon orzo pasta salad with asparagus is fast and easy. Just follow the step-by-step photos below. For the full written instructions see the recipe card at the bottom.
- Step 1: Wash the asparagus and break off the woody end part. It will naturally snap off when holding the asparagus at the top and bottom and gently bending it. Cut the trimmed asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
- Step 2: Add the asparagus to the prepared sheet pan with the red onion slices. Drizzle with the olive oil, salt and pepper, toss well and spread out to a single, even layer. Roast until the asparagus is fork tender. Remove from the oven and let it cool down.
- Step 3: Cook the orzo according to package instructions. Drain and rinse the orzo in cold water.
- Step 4: In a small bowl, stir together the ingredients for the dressing.
Step 5: To a large salad bowl, add the orzo, roasted asparagus and red onion, feta cheese and chopped dill.
Step 6: Pour over the dressing and gently toss. Top with some extra dill and feta cheese before serving.
Substitutions and Variations
This Roasted asparagus pasta salad is incredibly versatile and easy to adapt. Listed below are some great options to make it your own.
- Protein – Add canned beans like chickpeas or white beans for extra protein.
- Pasta – The orzo can be substituted with other small pasta or a gluten free orzo if desired.
- Greens – Toss with some baby spinach or arugula.
- Nuts – Add toasted pine nuts, chopped pistachios or sliced almonds for crunch.
- Herbs – Fresh herbs ads so much flavor to this salad. For a different flavor, swap dill for parsley, basil or herb of choice.
- Cheese – This salad has some salty and creamy feta cheese. Another option is using crumbled goats cheese or cubed pieces of fried halloumi cheese.
- Vegan – For a vegan salad, use maple syrup in the dressing instead of the honey, and a vegan feta to make it completely vegan.
- Veggies – Add more veggies like cucumber, chopped bell pepper, peas or cherry tomatoes.
Storage
Store the leftover asparagus orzo salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavours will continue to develop, making it a great salad for meal prep! If needed, add a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving the leftovers.
This salad doesn’t freeze well, as the orzo and veggies lose their texture once thawed.
Top Tip for the best orzo salad
- Cook the orzo until just al dente so it stays firm and holds its shape when mixed with the rest of the salad ingredients and the dressing.
- Cool the orzo before adding it to the salad.
- Roasting the asparagus will give it a deeper flavour.
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice to give the dressing a bright and fresh flavour.
- If you have time, let the salad rest for 15–20 min before serving. This will give the flavors time to develop.
FAQ
Yes, grilled asparagus will add a smoky flavour that’s perfect for summer barbecues and is a great option to oven roasted. Leftover grilled veggies can also be used.
It can be served at room temperature or chilled straight from the fridge.
Orzo Recipes
Pasta salads
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This Asparagus Orzo Salad is the perfect, fresh spring and summer side dish that is packed with flavor. Easy to make with tender roasted asparagus, orzo pasta, creamy feta cheese, fresh dill and a light and zesty lemon dressing. Great for the summer BBQs, picnics, meal prep or a packed lunch, it’s a crowd pleaser!
- 1 lb. (450g) asparagus, trimmed and sliced at a diagonal into 1-inch pieces
- ½ red onion, sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups uncooked orzo
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup fresh dill, chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil, preferable extra virgin
- 1 large lemon, zest and juice
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
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Preheat the oven to 400F (200C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
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Wash the asparagus and break off the woody end part. It will naturally snap off when holding the asparagus at the top and bottom and gently bending it. Cut the trimmed asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
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Add the asparagus to the prepared sheet pan with the red onion slices. Drizzle with the olive oil, salt and pepper, toss well and spread out to a single, even layer. Roast until the asparagus is fork tender, depending on the size of the asparagus this will take 6-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool down.
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Cook the orzo according to package instructions. Drain and rinse the orzo in cold water. Add to a large salad bowl.
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While the asparagus is roasting, and the orzo cooking, make the dressing. In a small bowl, stir together the ingredients for the dressing.
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To the salad bowl with the orzo, roasted asparagus and red onion, feta cheese and chopped dill.
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Pour over the dressing and gently toss. Top with some extra dill and feta cheese before serving. Chill for about 15-30 minutes to bring out all the flavors.
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