Spanish Orzo Salad with Citrus Sazon Goya Dressing

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.

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. 

Katie Crenshaw, Maria Alifonso, and Amanda Lopez

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.

How to make Spanish Orzo Salad with Sazon Goya

Making this Spanish Orzo Salad with this delicious Sazon Goya citrus dressing is easy! Follow these steps:

1. Cook Orzo according to directions.
2. Add in crabmeat, tomato, cucumber, onion, and green olives to the orzo.
3. Mix together Sazon Goya, lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil in a separate bowl.
4. Add to pasta combination. Mix. Salt and pepper to taste.
5. You can serve immediately, but for best results, refrigerate an hour or more before serving.

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
• Sofrito
• Rice Cooker Coconut Rice with Cilantro and Lime
• Moroccan-Style Crispy Roasted Potatoes
• Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Manchego
• Mussels with Sofrito
• Pomegranate Sangria 
• Jalapeno Chimichurri

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Spanish Orzo Salad with Sazon Goya Citrus Dressing

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

Course Salad

Cuisine Spanish

Keyword Spanish Orzo Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

refrigerate 1 hour

Total Time 52 minutes

Servings 10

Calories 393kcal

Author Maria Alifonso, Katie Crenshaw-A Fork's Tale

Ingredients

• 16 oz orzo
• 14 oz imitation crabmeat shredded
• 1½ Cups tomato diced
• 1½ Cups cucumber diced
• ½ Cup onion finely chopped
• 8 oz 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 oz orzo according to directions. Drain and set to aside in a large mixing bowl.
• Add in 14 oz shredded crabmeat, 1 1/2 cups diced tomato, 1 1/2 cup diced cucumber, 1/2 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, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup white wine vinegar, and 3/4 cup olive oil.
• Add vinaigrette to pasta combination. Mix. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Refrigerate an hour or more before serving. Serve cold.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 740mg | Potassium: 309mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3.1% | Vitamin C: 11.8% | Calcium: 5.5% | Iron: 8.2%