Orzo pasta, tender crisp asparagus, salty feta, crunchy pistachios and loads of fresh herbs tossed in a lemony shallot vinaigrette. This simple, fresh pasta salad is perfect side dish for Spring.

I love when fresh asparagus is in peak season, not only is it delicious, but it means that warmer days are coming! Full of flavor and texture, this gorgeously green pasta salad makes a great Spring-y side dish for Easter, a dinner party, pot luck, luncheon or really any night of the week.
Pair this dish with some simple grilled or pan seared salmon, a roast chicken or this Garlic Herb Crusted Roast Beef for a perfect meal.
Why you will love this recipe
- It’s full of fresh, healthy ingredients.
- This salad is meant to be enjoyed at room temperature, making it an easy side dish for company or to take to a party.
- It holds up well in the refrigerator for a few days and can be made ahead of time. The leftovers make a great light lunch.
- It’s easy to make and absolutely DELICIOUS!

Ingredients and Substitutions
- Orzo – a thin, oval shaped, small cut pasta that kind of looks like rice. In Italy, this little pasta (or pastina) is also known as “risi”, which means rice, or “rosini” which means barley in Italian.
- Fresh asparagus – the best asparagus is firm to the touch, stands up straight and has closed, compact tops. It should be a rich green color with some fading to white at the bottom of the stalks. For this recipe, I suggest going with asparagus on the thinner side as it will only be cooked for a few minutes to make it just tender crisp.
- Feta cheese – salty, crumbled feta adds tons of flavor and a bit of creaminess. You could also substitute goat cheese or try it with shaved parmesan or small pearls of fresh mozzarella.
- Pistachios – add a wonderfully crunchy texture. Sliced almonds or toasted pine nuts will also work.
- Fresh herbs – these are a must! A mix of fresh basil, mint and dill are my favorite in this recipe. Fresh parsley also works.
- Lemon – fresh lemon juice and zest really makes the vinaigrette pop.
- Shallot – adds a mild, sweet oniony flavor to the lemony dressing.
- Olive oil – use a good olive oil. It makes all the difference when making your own vinaigrette. The Furies is my favorite.
- Dijon mustard – just a bit helps emulsify the dressing.
- Red wine vinegar – a touch of vinegar balances out the lemon juice. You can also use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Honey – optional, but just a smidge adds a touch of sweetness to balance out the tartness of the lemon in the vinaigrette.
- Salt and pepper

Method
Start by bringing a pot of well salted water to boil. Finely mince the shallot and add to a small mason jar or container with a tight fitting lid. Zest the lemon and set the lemon zest aside. Add lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, red wine vinegar salt and pepper to the shallots and shake vigorously to combine and emulsify the dressing. You can also do this in a bowl with a whisk, I just think it’s easier to shake and pour from a jar.

Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus and chop into once inch pieces.
Add the orzo to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. When the orzo is 2 minutes from being done, add the chopped asparagus to the orzo in the boiling water and cook for the remaining cook time for the pasta. The asparagus should be bright green and tender crisp. Drain orzo and asparagus and add to a large prep bowl.

While the orzo and asparagus are cooling, chop the fresh herbs and pistachios. Add herbs, feta, chopped pistachios and reserved lemon zest to the room temperature asparagus and orzo, pour over about half of the vinaigrette and gently toss with a wooden spoon to combine. Taste and add more dressing, season with salt and pepper and additional lemon juice to taste.
If you are making this ahead of time, the pasta will absorb dressing as it sits. Be sure to reserve some dressing and toss with the extra lemon vinaigrette just before serving.

Recipe tips
- Monitor the time on the pasta closely, tasting it as it cooks to check for doneness. You want to add the asparagus in just about two minutes before the pasta will be al dente. This is the trick to the recipe. To make it a little less stressful, you can absolutely cook the pasta separately and lightly sauté the asparagus in olive oil in a separate skillet if that works better for you.
- Wait until the orzo and asparagus are cooled down to add the rest of the ingredients. You don’t want hot orzo to wilt the herbs and melt the feta.
- Orzo asparagus salad can be made up to a day ahead of time. Reserve a little dressing to toss in right before serving. The pasta will absorb dressing as it sits, especially if you make it ahead of time.
- Leftovers will keep well in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days. If it seems a little dry, give it a gentle toss and add any leftover dressing or a little olive oil and lemon juice.
More Spring inspired recipes you will love
- Asparagus Mimosa with Caper Vinaigrette
- White Wine Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs and Leeks
- Baked Asparagus, Leek and Goat Cheese Frittata
- Sheet Pan Shrimp and Asparagus in Garlic Lemon Butter


Lemony Orzo Salad with Asparagus, Feta and Herbs
Ingredients
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 1 pound fresh asparagus
- ½ cup crumbled feta
- ⅓ cup chopped pistachios
- ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh herbs basil, dill, mint
Lemony Shallot Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 small shallot finely minced
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Lemony Shallot Vinaigrette
- Zest the lemon and set lemon zest aside.
- Add lemon juice, red wine vinegar, finely minced shallot, mustard, honey and olive oil to a small mason jar. Screw on the lid and shake vigorously until combined. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Orzo Asparagus Salad
- Bring a pot of salty water to a boil.
- While the water coming to a boil, snap off the woody ends of the asparagus and chop stalks into one inch pieces.
- Add the orzo to the boiling water and cook until 2 minutes shy of suggested cook time. Add the asparagus to the boiling orzo and cook together for an additional two minutes until the orzo is al dente and the asparagus is bright green and tender crisp.
- Drain asparagus and orzo and add to a large mixing bowl.
- While the orzo and asparagus is cooling, chop fresh herbs and pistachios and crumble feta.
- Add chopped herbs and pistachios, crumbled feta and reserved lemon zest to the cooled orzo and asparagus. Give the dressing a good shake and pour over about half of the dressing. Toss the salad together and taste for seasoning. Add salt, pepper and more vinaigrette and lemon juice to taste. Transfer to a serving platter and serve at room temperature or cold.
- The orzo will absorb dressing as it sits. If making ahead of time, reserve some of the dressing and toss the salad and add more before serving to moisten and wake up the flavors.
Deb
Best new salad ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Fresh, Light, delicious with grilled Lamb chops
Thanks again
Jessica
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Definitely one of my new favorites ; )