Cold Lemon Orzo Salad with Peas, Dill, and Feta

This cold lemon orzo salad is built around a simple idea: bright acid, tender pasta, and contrasting textures. Tiny, pillow-like orzo becomes the canvas for pops of sweet frozen peas, the saline pockets of crumbled feta, and the feathery lift of fresh dill. A straightforward lemon-and-olive-oil dressing keeps the flavors clean and lets the individual ingredients sing — the red onion adds a little bite while the dill and optional zest give the dish a distinctly fresh finish.

What makes this version work is attention to timing and texture. Adding the peas at the very end of cooking and shocking the pasta stops carryover cooking so the orzo stays al dente, and rinsing off some starch prevents clumping when the dressing is added. Folding in the feta in the last step rather than tossing it aggressively preserves those creamy, salty clusters that punctuate each bite. It’s a go-to for potlucks, packed lunches, and weeknight dinners when you want something that travels well, can be scaled up, and holds up in the fridge for a couple of days.