Orzo Salad with Chickpeas is a light side dish or lunch. It’s full of flavor and protein.
I love pasta salads! I feel like orzo is an underrated pasta. Its great in so many dishes, such as pasta salads.
This Orzo Salad is light and refreshing, but healthy and still delicious. It’s full of protein from the chickpeas and feta cheese, crunch from cucumbers, has healthy fat and is super flavorful from the zesty lemon vinaigrette dressing.
This salad is perfect for lunch, a side dish or a summer potluck. And it’s simple to make.
What you’ll need
- Orzo pasta– or another small pasta like elbows or ditalini
- Cherry tomatoes
- Fresh parsley– or sub your favorite fresh herbs
- Cucumber
- Red onion– or Vidalia onion, shallots
- Feta cheese– this is also delicious with crumbled goat cheese
- Canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
For the Dressing:
- Olive oil– can use avocado oil instead
- Dijon mustard- for a little zing
- 1 large lemon- zest and juice
- Garlic, grated
- Seasonings-red pepper flakes (optional), salt and pepper
What is Orzo
Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta that’s often mistaken for a grain—but it’s actually made from semolina flour, just like traditional pasta. It’s incredibly versatile and cooks up quickly, making it perfect for everything from soups and salads to creamy side dishes and baked casseroles. Whether you’re serving it warm or cold, orzo soaks up flavors beautifully and adds a fun, delicate texture to any meal.
How to make it
Prep the ingredients: Cook the orzo according to the package instructions in salted, boiling water. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process.
Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas.
Add the orzo to a large mixing bowl. Add in the red onion, parsley, feta cheese, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and chickpeas.
Prepare the dressing: In a separate bowl whisk together the olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon zest and juice and Dijon mustard.
Finish it: Drizzle the dressing over the salad and mix well to coat.
Refrigerate 30 minutes to meld the flavors and enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Take a picture and tag me @StephGigliotti and
#StephRealLife. I would absolutely love to see your finished dish!
You might like
- Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- The BEST Pasta Salad
- Feta Watermelon Salad
- 1905 Columbia Restaurant Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
- Cucumber Tomato salad
- Nectarine Prosciutto Caprese
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Orzo Salad with Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 cup orzo
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley minced
- 1 cucumber diced
- 1/4 cup red onion diced
- 3.5 ounces feta cheese
- 15 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
For the dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 large lemon zest and juice
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Cook the orzo according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse in cold water.
- Add the orzo to a large mixing bowl. Add in the red onion, parsley, feta cheese, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and chickpeas.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon zest and juice and Dijon mustard.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and mix well to coat.
- Refrigerate 30 minutes to meld the flavors and enjoy.
