This Easy Orzo Salad is light, fresh, and filled with veggies, chickpeas, and fresh herbs. It will quickly become a go-to pasta salad in your house!
I love making and taking pasta salads to potlucks, barbecues, and get togethers. They are the perfect side dish for sharing. This Easy Orzo Pasta Salad is a summertime favorite. It’s a versatile and delicious side that everyone loves! I always bring an empty bowl home–no leftovers!
This Orzo Pasta Salad is the MVP of my summer with chickpeas, cucumber, arugula, cherry tomatoes…all coated in a delicious and bright homemade dressing! It’s a summer favorite, but is good all year around. You can’t go wrong with this recipe, anytime of the year.
What is Orzo?
Orzo is a really tiny, short pasta. It’s shaped like large grains of rice, but a little thicker. It’s easy to cook and is great in salads or with served with pesto or marinara sauce. You can buy orzo at most grocery stores, look for it in the pasta aisle.
I love it for this pasta salad because the pasta is so small you can get it in every single bite!
Orzo Salad Ingredients
The ingredients are fresh, simple, and oh so delicious! For this salad, you will need:
- Orzo pasta
- Arugula (can use spinach)
- English cucumber
- Grape tomatoes
- Chickpeas (white beans or shredded chicken would be good too)
- Red onion
- Feta cheese (can use goat cheese or Parmesan cheese)
- Fresh basil
Simple Dressing
Homemade salad dressings are actually SO simple to make and they really take your home cooking to the next level. Don’t be intimidated–it’s just measuring and whisking!
In a medium bowl (or even a Mason jar!), combine:
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Golden balsamic vinegar (or champagne vinegar)
- Honey
- Minced garlic
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Orzo Salad
Just a couple steps to the most delicious Orzo Pasta Salad ever!
- We’ll start with boiling a pan of salty water. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until it’s al dente.
- Drain and rinse! Give the pasta a rinse in cold water and move it into a large bowl.
- Add the arugula (or spinach), cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, onion, feta, and basil to the orzo and stir it gently, then drizzle the dressing over the top and stir it again.
Can I Make the Salad in Advance?
Yes! Up to 3 days in the refrigerator. This is a great recipe to make in the morning and have on hand for an easy side dish or even to eat for lunch.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
For the Orzo Salad:
- 12 ounces orzo pasta
- 2 heaping cups arugula or baby spinach
- 1 English cucumber, chopped
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 15 ounces chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ½ small red onion, diced
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (1 large lemon)
- 1 tablespoon golden balsamic vinegar (or champagne vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a boil and cook the orzo until al dente, according to package instructions.
While the pasta is cooking, make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Drain the orzo in a strainer and rinse well with cold water. Pour the cooked orzo in a large bowl.
Add the arugula (or spinach), cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, onion, feta, and basil to the orzo and gently stir. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and stir again. Season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
The salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Facts
Orzo Salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 355 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 3g15%
Cholesterol 8mg3%
Sodium 116mg5%
Potassium 465mg13%
Carbohydrates 53g18%
Fiber 6g24%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 677IU14%
Vitamin C 12mg15%
Calcium 97mg10%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Photos by Molly
Thanks for Sharing!
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