This strawberry orzo salad is unexpected, tangy but sweet, and perfect for a light spring lunch or potluck dish! spring Sweet, juicy strawberries share a bowl with orzo, salty feta, crunchy almonds, spring veggies, and a creamy poppy seed dressing.
If you've never added strawberries to a pasta salad before, this is your sign.
This strawberry orzo salad is sweet, savory, and just a little unexpected in the best way. Tender orzo gives it enough substance to feel like a real meal, while juicy strawberries and crisp vegetables keep it bright and fresh. Tossed in a lightly tangy poppy seed dressing, it tastes like spring in a bowl!
This orzo salad is perfect for a light lunch that actually keeps you full. And if you bring it to a potluck? It's colorful, seasonal, and just different enough to stand out on a table full of the usual pasta salads.
Low effort. High impact. Very much a "make this while strawberries are sweet" situation.
If you like the savory sweetness of this pasta salad, you'll also love goat cheese crostini with pickled strawberries!
Adding Protein to This Orzo Salad
This strawberry orzo salad is vegetarian and already has some protein from the feta, almonds, and orzo.
If you want to add more protein, chickpeas would be a great plant-based source. Otherwise, chicken or salmon are what I'd recommend adding. Toss some in if you have leftovers!
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Orzo Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
This strawberry orzo salad with poppy seed dressing is light, springy, and perfect for light lunches in spring and summer, or potlucks!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups orzo
- 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 1 cup asparagus, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ½ cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1 cup kale, finely shredded (optional)
- ¾ cup feta, crumbled
- â…“ cup sliced almonds
- 1 recipe tangy poppy seed dressing
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Cook orzo according to package instructions, then drain and rinse with cool water.
- Combine. In a large bowl, combine the orzo with strawberries, asparagus, fennel, kale, feta, and almonds.
- Make dressing. Blend up some tangy poppy seed dressing, pour over ingredients in bowl, and toss to combine. Serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve.
Notes
- If you're not eating this orzo salad right away, I'd wait to add the almonds until before serving. That way, they'll stay nice and crunchy!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Pasta Salad
- Method: Stovetop, Combine
- Cuisine: American
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