Easy Orzo Salad: My Heatproof Picnic Go-to

It’s almost the weekend, and I don’t know about you guys, but we’re counting down the hours! If you’re entertaining outdoors at all this weekend, I have got the perfect recipe for you.

You guys will be floored when you read how simple this crowd-pleaser is to make. The best part is that it’s summer-proof! It can withstand a few hours in the sun on your picnic table without wilting or losing its flavor.

What you’ll need:

Orzo pasta
Cucumbers (2)
Tomatoes (3)
Feta
Kalamata olives
Sliced almonds, toasted
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Lemon juice

Orzo pasta cooks quickly, so it won’t take you long to pull this pasta salad together. This kind of pasta is almost rice-like and has a great texture. While your orzo is cooking, start chopping the rest of your ingredients.

Halve the kalamata olives and chop the cucumbers and tomatoes so that they’re about the same size. Remember, you want to make these bite-sized for your guests.

Toast your almonds in a pan for a few minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when you taste a light nuttiness. Be sure and watch the pan carefully as they burn easily.

Add your cooked orzo pasta to a large bowl – or, keep it simple and add it straight to your serving bowl (as long as it’s not silver). Drizzle a healthy pour of olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Next, incorporate your cucumbers and tomatoes. Gently stir to combine. Add about half a lemon’s worth of juice. Taste and readjust if needed. Pro tip: if it’s too acidic, cut a bit of the acid with a pinch of sugar.

Top your salad with crumbled feta, sliced almonds, and kalamata olives. Freshly ground pepper added over top makes for a fabulous finish.

Try adding fresh chopped mint if you’re feeling adventurous. We didn’t use it in this batch, but it’s a great extra touch. You could also get away with fresh chopped basil if you prefer that over mint. On the mint note, here’s one of my favorite watermelon summer salad recipes.

Also, how perfect is this dress for polo?! I bought it last year for Derby, but there are similar ones (also by J. McLaughlin) here and here. My clip-on earrings are by Lisi Lerch.

And, for those of y’all who also love big earrings. This $10 investment is worth every penny. They are probably the best things I’ve purchased all summer.