This Lemon, Herb, & Feta Orzo Salad from Elizabeth Van Lierde’s Everyday Entertaining is packed full of flavor with little effort! This salad can be served warm or chilled and makes for an easy lunch or entertaining dish when tomatoes are thriving at the market.
I am NOT letting go of you yet summer! It’s still warm here and the market is still thriving with tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil. When I was sent a copy of Everyday Entertaining a few weeks ago, I knew I was going to love this salad. It’s simple yet brimming with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, and basil for a serious flavor punch. I’m also a huge fan of orzo (this orzo recipe is on repeat constantly at our house) as I find it to be a little less heavy than larger pasta shapes and it’s size doesn’t overpower the other ingredients. I’d recommend making this salad the night before you are ready to serve it so that it has time to develop extra flavor and you are not rushing to get this together the day of entertaining or on your quick lunch break.
Now before I jump to the recipe for this Lemon Herb & Feta Orzo Salad, I wanted to take a minute to talk about the cookbook this recipe came from, Everyday Entertaining. I wasn’t familiar with Elizabeth before I was sent a copy of this which was a total surprise because she has a super loyal following on social media. She also is sooo up my alley with her entertaining hacks and approachable recipes. This book totally surprised me in how much I enjoyed it – from her entertaining tips at the beginning of the book to approachable recipes to her vibrant and inviting photos. I can’t remember the last time something made me so inspired to have people over! Anyhow, I will stop gushing and suggest you go check out more details HERE and consider picking up a copy (even if it’s just for daydreaming until we can safely entertain again).
This Lemon Herb & Feta Orzo Salad from Elizabeth Van Lierde's Everyday Entertaining is packed full of flavor with little effort! This salad can be served warm or cold and makes for an easy lunch or entertaining dish when tomatoes are thriving at the market. This recipe is printed with permission from the publisher.
- 1/2 lb (8 oz) orzo pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 1 small cucumber, diced
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped basil + more for garnish
- 4 oz crumbled feta
- lemon wedges, for garnish
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the orzo and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.
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Add halved tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, lemon juice, olive oil, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper to the serving bowl and toss everything together.
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Gently stir in chopped basil and feta cheese. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, as needed. Serve right away warm or cover and refigerate until ready to serve.
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Garnish with lemon slices and more basil when ready to serve.
Make sure to tag Vegetarian ‘Ventures on Instagram and use #vegetarianventures when trying this dish out!
