Crunchy Asparagus Orzo Salad with Lemon Shallot Dressing

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Crunchy asparagus orzo salad topped with lemon garlic toasted breadcrumbs! We’ll cook the pasta and asparagus together then toss with lots of fresh herbs, and a lemon shallot dressing. Top it all off with crumbled feta cheese and lots of toasty breadcrumbs for the most amazing flavor!

Crispy, crunchy and so delicious! Asparagus orzo salad has it all!

Pasta salads like this are my jam. It’s the perfect quick summer lunch to keep on hand for the week because it pairs beautifully with chicken, shrimp, or salmon. It’s quick enough to shovel in your mouth at lunchtime while you juggle all the things. But it’s also fancy enough to serve as a side dish with grilled chicken and grilled sweet bell peppers drizzled with balsamic for dining al fresco.

What really seals the deal for me on this salad is that it takes about 30 minutes to put together and what you’re left with is a refreshing cold asparagus salad with rice-like pasta and a lemon vinaigrette that you could chug with a spoon!

close up of orzo, asparagus, lemon shallot dressing with panic

Ingredients for asparagus lemon orzo pasta salad:

Orzo pasta: dried orzo pasta makes the base of this salad. You can also use any other small-shaped pasta that you’d like if you don’t happen to have orzo on hand. Ditalini and pearl couscous are just a couple of options. You could also use quinoa to make it a quinoa salad, however, you’ll need to guesstimate how much you need as I haven’t tested this yet.
Asparagus spears: this salad is perfect to make when asparagus is in season! You want to use fresh tender spears and you’ll need roughly a pound before trimming the ends.
Panko breadcrumbs: Toasted panko gives the salad a crunchy element.
Garlic: We’ll use the garlic to season the breadcrumbs. I highly suggest a fine grater for this recipe.
Lemon Zest + juice: The zest will go into the breadcrumbs when they’re hot off of the skillet. This gives the breadcrumbs the most delicious lemony fragrance. The lemon zest releases lemon oil when it hits the panko and it is glorious! The lemon juice will go into the dressing for the salad.
All the herbs: You’ll need scallions, dill, mint, fresh basil, and parsley. Use any or all of those herbs. I’ve started an herb garden recently, so for me, it’s a no-brainer to use as many as I can!
Feta cheese: feta gives the salad a briny punch. We’ve got acid from the lemon dressing, salt and brininess from the feta, and sweetness from the honey. Each bite is an explosion of flavor.
Olive oil: Good olive oil works best here as this recipe will be consumed cold.
Shallots: You can use a minced red onion as well if you don’t have a shallot on hand, but I find the shallot does make the dressing a bit milder.
Dijon mustard: Imulsifies the dressing and adds a bit of umami.
Honey: helps balance the dressing. It also sweetens it a bit so the acid from the lemon juice isn’t as harsh.
Seasonings: Of course, you’ll need kosher salt and black pepper for seasonings!

lemon shallot dressing in glass cup with spout

How to make crunchy asparagus orzo salad:

Cook the pasta. Bring a 3-quart pot or larger to boil. Season the boiling water with salt and then add the pasta to the water. As the pasta cooks, keep an eye on it. Add the trimmed asparagus spears during the last 60 seconds to blanch them. Drain the pasta and asparagus in a colander and let them cool. You can transfer them to a boil and drizzle with a little olive oil if you’d like.
Dressing the salad. While the orzo cooks, I like to start preparing the dressing. You’ll want to combine the olive oil, lemon juice, minced shallots, a big pinch of kosher salt, black pepper, dijon, and honey in a mason jar and give it a good shake to combine. Taste the dressing and adjust anything you find missing.
Toast the breadcrumbs. You’ll want to heat a tbsp of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. When warm, add the panko and saute stirring it around until all of the panko is evenly toasted. Grate in the garlic cloves and cook for another 30-ish seconds. You’ll want to season the breadcrumbs if you’d like with a pinch of salt. Then remove them from the heat and immediately add the lemon zest to the panko so that the peels release their oils from the heat.
Toss it all together. Add the cooked orzo, asparagus, scallions, and other herbs in a bowl. Toss to combine, then press with half of the dressing and mix. Taste and adjust with more dressing or seasonings to your preference. Add the crumbled feta and toss lightly. Top with the breadcrumbs right before serving.

FAQs about this recipe:

Is orzo a rice or pasta?

Orzo is a pasta shaped like a grain of rice.

How do you keep pasta salad from absorbing dressing?

Dressing the salad at the right time is key. Dressing the salad a day in advance will cause the pasta to absorb the dressing. Dress the salad about 30 minutes before dressing for the ideal taste and texture.

Can I add other veggies to this salad?

You can! I want to try castelvetrano olives next, but you could even do cucumbers or snap peas to bulk up the salad with more veggies!

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Yield: serves 6 as a side, 4 as a main

Crunchy Asparagus Orzo Salad with lemon Shallot Dressing

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Crunchy asparagus orzo salad topped with lemon garlic toasted breadcrumbs! We'll cook the pasta and asparagus together then toss with lots of fresh herbs, and a lemon shallot dressing. Top it all off with crumbled feta cheese and lots of toasty breadcrumbs for the most amazing flavor!

Ingredients

Salad:

1 cup dry orzo pasta
1 pound asparagus, washed/trimmed/ sliced diagonally
½ cup panko bread crumbs
3 cloves garlic, pressed
Zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup chopped scallions, greens only
½ cup combined dill, mint, basil, and parsley, chopped
½ cup crumbled feta

Dressing:

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3-4 tbsp lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced shallots
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon
2 teaspoons honey

Instructions

PASTA: Bring a 3-quart saucepan filled with water to boil. When boiling, salt the water generously and cook the orzo to package directions, adding in the trimmed asparagus during the last 60 seconds and blanching. Drain the orzo and asparagus when done in a colander. Drizzle with oil if desired and allow the pasta to cool.
DRESSING: While the water is boiling, add 4 tablespoons of olive oil to a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid, along with 3 tablespoons lemon juice, minced shallots, a big pinch of kosher salt, black pepper, dijon mustard, and honey. Give the dressing a good shake. Taste and adjust with more seasonings as desired.
TOAST: Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. When warm, add the panko and stir to combine. Cook the panko until golden and toasted about 2 minutes. Add the garlic during the last 30 seconds. Allow the garlic to get fragrant then remove from heat and add the breadcrumbs to a bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and a big pinch of salt while the panko is still warm.
TOSS: Add the cooked orzo and asparagus, scallions, and other herbs in a bowl. Toss to combine. Then dress with half of the dressing and mix. Taste and adjust with more dressing or seasonings as desired. Add the feta and breadcrumbs right at the end. Enjoy!

Notes

IB: NYTCooking.

Crunchy Asparagus Orzo Salad with Lemon Shallot Dressing

Ingredients for asparagus lemon orzo pasta salad: