Cucumber Lemon Orzo Salad

Lighten up with this refreshing Cucumber Lemon Orzo Salad. Made with fresh herbs, Persian cucumbers, and toasted pine nuts, this salad is then tossed with a lemon garlic dressing. Made in 20 minutes!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 20

Chill Time: 30

Total Time: 50

Servings: people

Calories: 319kcal

Author: Sarah McMinn

Ingredients

2 cups dry orzo pasta
2 tbsp. olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cup cucumbers, chopped
1 cup arugula, loosely packed
½ cup packed parsley, minced
2 tbsp. fresh mint, minced
½ cup toasted pine nuts

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic in a small bowl and set aside.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water for 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain the orzo well and transfer it to a large bowl. Toss with olive oil/lemon juice mixture and place in the refrigerator to cool.
Prepare the vegetables and herbs.
Toss the cucumbers, arugula, herbs, and pine nuts with the orzo. Add salt and pepper and return to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve with fresh lemon wedges and freshly ground pepper.

Notes

Serving and Storing - Let this salad chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. This salad is best if it can be made several hours in advance, allowing the flavors to soak all the way into the pasta. Serve this lemon orzo salad as a light lunch or part of a larger dinner. It pairs well with a Lemon Pepper Cauliflower Steaks or these 4-Ingredient Portobello Steaks. Store uneaten salad in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Variations - this salad will work with other kinds of pasta if you prefer. If you are going to use another kind of pasta, I recommend anything that is small such as elbow pasta or small shells.

Nutrition