This Spanish Orzo Salad is loaded with imitation crabmeat, green olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, and a Sazon Goya citrus dressing.
It is simple to make and full of flavor.

My friend Maria Alifonso made this Spanish Orzo Salad for me once and I fell in love with it.
Her Spanish Orzo Salad is made with a flavorful lemon Sazon Goya dressing.
Mixing the citrus dressing with the olives and crabmeat make this pasta salad absolutely delicious!
I make it for parties and potlucks. Everyone always asks for more.
Watch how to make
Ingredients
You will need to have the following ingredients to make Spanish Orzo Salad.
- orzo
- imitation crabmeat-You can use real crabmeat, but it is much more expensive. Therefore, the imitation is a good substitute. You can also replace the crabmeat with salad shrimp.
- tomatoes
- cucumber
- onion
- Spanish green olives with the pimentos
- Sazon Goya
- lemon juice
- white wine vinegar
- olive oil
Steps to make Spanish Orzo Salad
Making this Spanish Orzo Salad with this delicious Sazon Goya citrus dressing is easy! Follow these steps:
- Cook Orzo according to directions.
- Add in crabmeat, tomato, cucumber, onion, and green olives to the orzo.
- Mix together Sazon Goya, lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil in a separate bowl.
- Add to pasta combination. Mix. Salt and pepper to taste.
- You can serve immediately, but for best results, refrigerate an hour or more before serving.
What is Sazon Goya?
Maria introduced me to the wonderful seasoning called Sazon from Goya.
Sazon is a seasoned salt found in the Spanish and Mexican Markets.
The salt is combined primarily with cilantro, achiote, and garlic.
It is typically added to meats, fish, poultry, and stews.
It is the key ingredient to this orzo salad and is what gives it that amazing flavor.
I generally do not have a hard time finding Sazon Goya in the International Section in most grocery stores to include Harris Teeter and Food Lion.
I am told it is a wonderful to add in beans.
What is orzo?
Orzo is a pasta that has a similar shape to rice.
Although it looks like rice, it does not taste like rice because it is a pasta.
Orzo is made with flour and is cooked like any other pasta.
You can serve it hot or cold. It is wonderful in this pasta salad.
What is a good substitute for orzo?
I love the texture and size of the orzo in this Spanish pasta salad.
However, my husband does not like orzo at all.
If you don't have orzo on hand or need a substitute for orzo, pick a smaller sized pasta. Some great pasta ideas include:
- farfalle
- macaroni
- penne
- rotini
- small shells
- fusilli
This orzo pasta salad is perfect as a meal in itself, but it also makes a great side dish for cookouts and family gatherings.
Try it out! I know you will like it also!
Are you looking for more Spanish inspired recipes? Try some of these:
- Spanish Garlic Shrimp
- Rice Cooker Coconut Rice with Cilantro and Lime
- Moroccan-Style Crispy Roasted Potatoes
- Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Manchego
- Pomegranate Sangria
- Jalapeno Chimichurri
Please leave me a comment below if you make these Spanish Orzo Salad, and tell me what you thought about it. I would love to hear back, and so would my readers.
Also post your picture of your Spanish Pasta Salad on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!
Recipe
Spanish Orzo Salad with Sazon Goya Citrus Dressing
Ingredients
- 16 ounces orzo
- 14 ounces imitation crabmeat shredded
- 1½ cups tomato diced
- 1½ cups cucumber diced
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- 8 ounces Spanish green olives with pimento drained
- 2 packets of Sazon Goya
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
- ¾ cup olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Assemble the pasta salad:
- Cook 16 ounces orzo according to directions. Drain and set to aside in a large mixing bowl.
- Add in 14 ounces shredded crabmeat, 1 ½ cups diced tomato, 1 ½ cup diced cucumber, ½ cup chopped onion, and 8 oz green olives (drained from juices) to the orzo.
Make the Sazon Goya Citrus Dressing:
- In a seperate small mixing bowl, mix together 2 packets of Sazon Goya, ¼ cup lemon juice, ½ cup white wine vinegar, and ¾ cup olive oil.
- Add vinaigrette to pasta combination. Mix. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Refrigerate an hour or more before serving. Serve cold.