This light lemon orzo salad comes together in a breeze! Cooked orzo is tossed with a simple lemon vinaigrette, grilled corn, creamy feta and lots of fresh basil. Easy, quick, light and fresh is what I look for in the perfect pasta salad.
Easy Lemon Orzo Salad
Today, I am whipping up an easy and light lemon orzo salad with grilled corn, fresh basil and creamy feta. This simple pasta salad is fantastic alongside grilled chicken shawarma skewers or tossed with a few spoonfuls of basil almond pesto.
This recipe comes together in a breeze. Orzo cooks incredibly fast and once that’s done, all you have to do is mix everything together and done, you have a light and fresh orzo pasta salad to enjoy all summer long!
And what ties the orzo salad together is the quick lemon vinaigrette. At the bottom of your mixing bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and then toss everything else in.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil: Because this is a main part in the dressing, use a good quality extra virgin olive oil. I am loving this Organic Argentinian olive oil.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice is ideal.
- Cooked Orzo: Found in the pasta aisle of grocery stores. or any other small shaped pasta.
- Grilled Corn: If you don’t have whole ears of corn to grill, you can use 1 cup of frozen corn kernels and saute in a skillet with a bit of olive oil until caramelized.
- Fresh Basil: And a good amount of it, roughly torn or sliced into thin ribbons.
- Feta Cheese: Buy a whole block of feta in the brine if you can and crumble the feta yourself. Blocks of feta are much creamier than the pre crumbled options.
How to Make this Easy Orzo Salad
- Grill ears of corn until charred on all sides. Use a sharp knife to cut kernels off and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and whisk to combine.
- Add cooked orzo, grilled corn kernels, a handful of shredded fresh basil and crumbled feta cheese and stir everything to combine so the dressing coats everything.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
Some Tips and Substitutions
- If you don’t’ have whole ears of corn, you can substitute frozen corn kernels.Defrost corn kernels (I like to run it under warm water) and dry well. Then add corn to a skillet with olive oil and saute until caramelized.
- Instead of crumbled feta cheese, creamy goat cheese would be delicious as well as small mozzarella balls.
- This lemon orzo salad stores very well and can be made ahead up to 2 days in advance. If making ahead, add basil right before serving.
- Other mix-in options: chopped castelveltrano olives, sun dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or grilled zucchini.
Lemon Orzo Salad with Corn and Basil
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Ingredients
- 8 ounce dry orzo
- 2 ears of corn about 1 cup of kernels
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon about 1/4 cup
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 6 ounce crumbled feta
- 2 cups Fresh basil leaves roughly torn or shredded
Instructions
- Cook orzo according to package directions and run under cold water once cooked. Set aside.
- Grill ears of corn until charred on all sides. Use a sharp knife to cut kernels off and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and whisk to combine.
- Add cooked orzo, grilled corn kernels, a handful of shredded fresh basil and crumbled feta cheese and stir everything to combine so the dressing coats everything.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
Video
Notes
- If you don’t’ have whole ears of corn, you can substitute frozen corn kernels.Defrost corn kernels (I like to run it under warm water) and dry well. Then add corn to a skillet with olive oil and saute until caramelized.
- Instead of crumbled feta cheese, creamy goat cheese would be delicious as well as small mozzarella balls.
- This lemon orzo salad stores very well and can be made ahead up to 2 days in advance. If making ahead, add basil right before serving.
- Other mix-in options: chopped castelveltrano olives, sun dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or grilled zucchini.
Nutrition
This post was originally an older grilled corn recipe that was published in July, 2012 and updated in July, 2022. The updates were a refreshed recipe, nutritional info, helpful tips and updated photos.
Corn salads are one of my favorite treats of the summer! I love that you charred your corn…I’m definitely going to try that soonr. Love your addition to today’s #SundaySupper!!!
It’s the feta that is making my mouth water! Thank you for participating in this week’s #SundaySupper!
Love corn & Feta so this will go on my ‘To Make ” salad list ! Pics looks gorgeous Sam !! I feel like making it now, but sadly am on detox today. When I finish 🙂 will make it. thanks for sharing !
I love corn and I love Feta…. this recipe is now on my “Must make” list! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe during #SundaySupper !
Grilled corn is the best! I like it being used in a salad. Add cheese and onion and I am in heaven.
ANY salad with corn and feta….well, I could just eat them both plain, let’s put it that way! Thank you so much for sharing!
xoxo,
Cheri
Thanks Cheri! I agree…great flavors!
LOVE feta! So perfectly paired with corn. This salad needs to be in my tummy for lunch!
Haha…I have leftovers…so lunch for me as well!
I’m not sure I’ve ever had fresh corn with feta, but it sounds amazing! Time to fire up the grill.
Yess you must try it!! Happy SundaySupper!
Samantha, this salad is so pretty. It sounds just lovely and would be perfect for beating the heat! Your photographs are stunning!
Thank you so much Nicole…that means a lot, really 🙂 This salad was so easy and you’re right..perfect for our theme 🙂
Oh I’m sure your corn was extra sweet from the grillin’ – just beautiful!
Yes!! Grilled Summer corn is oh sooo sweet :))
What a pretty salad!
Thank you so much, Dorothy!
So simple! And I love the addition of feta cheese. I bet cojita could work too!
ooohhh thats a great idea!! cojita..yummm
Corn and feta sound great together!
Thank you so much!! Happy #SundaySupper
Please do..and so easy :))
Thanks girl 😉
Thanks Patti….I totally agree! It was so sweet and on sale!
Humidity is the worse. Grilled veggies, especially corn, and feta cheese… I couldn´t ask for a better summer salad!
Love the simple yet delicious flavors and textures in your salad!Screams summer 🙂
I love this recipe for char-grilled corn salad. Def making this! Thanks for sharing Sunday Supper !
Gorgeous salad – I love the deep,earthy flavor that charring veggies brings out. Want a bowl!
This looks delicious!
Love, love, love feta! I am totally trying this salad!!!
Maybe even tonight since I am making some corn on the cob! I have feta in the fridge. 🙂
Oh please try it! Thats exactly why I made it..because I had the same things around 🙂
Sam, this salad looks amazing! My hair has been a frizz ball since the end of May. It’s not pretty.
This salad looks so fantastic. I love each and every ingredient!
Sam this is really gorgeous. I bet it tastes out of this world. I adore corn and can’t get enough of it during the season.
There’s nothing like the taste of grilled veggies, great recipe!
SO pretty! I love the addition of the feta cheese. I need to try this one out this week.
Love the colors in that salad! That looks like an amazing lunch!
I love grilled corn. This sounds like a delicious salad.
I love corn especially grilled and boiled. I did not try making salad with corn ingredients, I will try this one. Thanks for the idea.
Can’t wait to check it out!