Veggie-loaded shrimp orzo pasta salad is full of fresh flavor from lemon, basil, and dill. It includes tons of summer vegetables, like cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese for a salty kick. Make this Mediterranean-inspired, wholesome recipe for lunch, dinner, dining al fresco, potlucks, or other warm weather gatherings.
Summer veggies are here, and I couldn’t be more excited. During this time of year, when the weather is sometimes too hot to handle, I love relying on pasta salad recipes. They’re just so simple to make and easy to customize. Plus, they’re usually served cold, making them particularly desirable on a hot day.
This new recipe for shrimp orzo pasta salad is a complete meal all in one, including a lean protein in the form of shrimp, plenty of vegetables, and carbohydrates from the orzo pasta. The lemon olive oil dressing and feta cheese provide some fat, and the fresh herbs give the dish amazing flavor to boot!
I think it’ll be on repeat for lunch and dinner in my house, and I hope it becomes a go-to recipe for you too! If you’re in the mood for other pasta salads to try during this time of year, be sure to check out the Caprese Orzo Salad.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Orzo: You’ll need about 8 ounces (½ pound) of dry orzo, which is about 1 and ½ cups. This yields about 4 cups of cooked orzo. You can substitute other kinds of pasta, but try to stick to a small, short cut variety like ditalini so that it’s similar to orzo. You could also make the salad with quinoa, rice, or pearled couscous (aka Israeli couscous) if that’s what you have.
- Shrimp: Use large shrimp that are peeled and deveined with their tails removed. You can do this yourself if you can’t find shrimp that’s already prepared this way, but that will add to the prep time. Fresh or frozen shrimp both work, but make sure you thaw the frozen shrimp before using it in the recipe.
- Cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and red onion: Substitute other summer veggies if you don’t have these ones. For instance, you can use bell peppers instead of cherry tomatoes, zucchini instead of cucumber, and shallots instead of red onion.
- Basil and dill: I love the flavors these fresh herbs bring to shrimp orzo pasta salad. However, other herbs like parsley, oregano, and even mint can be added or swapped in for some or all of the herbs.
- Feta: Salty feta is a perfect match for the other ingredients. I like to use a block of feta and dice it into pieces so that it stays together better than crumbled feta. Of course, you can use crumbled feta if that’s all you have! If you don’t like or have feta, try parmesan, ricotta salata, or halloumi. Mozzarella pearls or goat cheese crumbles could also be used, but they would add a different flavor. Omit the cheese to make the recipe dairy free.
- Lemon juice and olive oil: This is the base of the dressing. If you don’t have lemons, sub red wine or white wine vinegar.
Instructions
The full recipe card for shrimp orzo pasta salad is at the bottom of the post. Scroll down to see it, and check out the following photos to help guide you in the kitchen.
Cook the orzo according to package instructions, usually about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain.
While the orzo is cooking, cook the shrimp in a skillet until pink and no longer translucent.
Chop the veggies and herbs, dice the feta, and prepare the dressing.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss with the dressing until coated.
Storage
You can make shrimp orzo pasta salad ahead of time if desired. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. In my opinion, it tastes best if you eat it right after preparing or within 12 hours.
Variations
If desired, sub grilled or roasted shrimp instead of cooking it in a pan. First, toss the shrimp in olive oil, salt, and pepper. To roast, spread the prepared shrimp on a baking sheet and cook for 5 to 10 minutes at 400 degrees F until pink and opaque. To grill, place the prepared shrimp over medium heat and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, flipping halfway through, until pink and opaque.
Similar Recipes
If you love this shrimp orzo pasta salad, check out these other recipes while you’re here:
📖 Recipe
Shrimp Orzo Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Dressing ingredients
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup lemon juice - from 2 to 3 lemons
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup diced red onion
Salad ingredients
- 8 ounces dry orzo - about 1.5 cups dry and 4 cups cooked
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound shrimp - peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- Salt - to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- 1 cucumber - peeled, seeded, and diced
- 12 ounces cherry tomatoes - halved
- 3 tablespoons freshly chopped basil
- 3 tablespoons freshly chopped dill
- 1 cup diced feta - from about 4 ounces of block feta
Instructions
- First, prepare the dressing so the red onion has some time to add flavor to it and soften. In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and red onion. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook orzo according to package instructions, usually about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- In the meantime, prepare the shrimp. Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for just 2 to 3 minutes on each side until pink and opaque. Do not overcook or else the shrimp will get chewy.
- Prep the veggies, herbs, and diced feta. Along with the shrimp, add these to the bowl with the cooked orzo. Stir to combine.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and stir well until coated.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Stir well before enjoying, and/or consider adding a squeeze of lemon juice to freshen up the salad.
- Omit the cheese to make dairy free. Sub quinoa to make gluten free.
- You can also sub roasted or grilled shrimp. Toss the shrimp in olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roast at 400 degrees F for 5 to 10 minutes or grill over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes until cooked through.
Kris Marshall
I made this for dinner on a hot, humid night this week. My husband and I loved it!
I made the following changes to suit our taste buds:
1) I substituted thyme for dill.
2) I used 2 regular size ripe tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes.
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Kris, that’s great to hear! It sounds like you made some delicious substitutions! Thanks so much for leaving a review.
Jessica Markarian
We made this last night, it was so good and easy. We substituted small peppers for the tomatoes because my husband does not eat tomatoes and we grilled the prawns. Would be good with grilled chicken also.
Will definitely make again.
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Jessica, yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed the orzo salad. Thanks for leaving a review!