This Orzo Salad is filled with orzo pasta, chickpeas, veggies, fresh herbs, ricotta, and homemade salad dressing! It is light, vibrant, healthy, filling, and comforting.
Orzo Salad is easy to assemble, perfect if you need to plan a side dish at the last minute! It is fresh, flavorful, satisfying, and easy to customize to your preferences.
Light and Fresh Orzo Salad
Orzo Salad is absolutely delicious! While orzo pasta and chickpeas make it satisfying and filling, ricotta provides creaminess and richness.
I add cucumbers, bell peppers for crispiness, and tomatoes to make the salad juicy. I love adding cilantro to this salad, but you can add your choice of fresh herbs. In fact, you can easily customize the recipe by substituting one or more elements.
Making the Orzo Salad is easy and quick! Orzo pasta does not take long to cook, and while the pasta is boiling, you can prepare the veggies and dressing. Then, combine everything in a large mixing bowl, toss well, and the salad is ready.
Orzo Salad can also be prepared in advance, a few hours or a day before! Cover it tightly and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Why You Will Love Orzo Salad
- Orzo Salad is fresh, vibrant, and comforting.
- It is light, filling, flavorful, and delicious.
- It is easy and quick to make this salad.
- This Orzo Pasta Salad is perfect for a side dish or a light meal.
- It is vegetarian, and you can easily skip the ricotta cheese for a vegan dish.
Ingredients and Notes
- Orzo: Orzo pasta is fantastic and blends well with all the other ingredients. Cook it according to the package instructions or your preference.
- Chickpeas: Adding chickpeas makes the pasta filling and protein-rich. However, you can skip chickpeas if you want.
- Tomatoes: I use plum tomatoes for the salad. But you can also use cherry tomatoes cut into halves. Tomatoes provide flavor and juiciness to the Orzo Salad.
- Cucumber: Use English or Persian cucumbers for a cool and refreshing crunch.
- Bell Peppers: Add your choice of colored bell pepper. It provides a sweet and peppery taste to the salad.
- Cilantro: I like to add finely chopped cilantro for earthy flavors. But you can add parsley instead of cilantro.
- Basil: You can skip fresh basil if you do not have it.
- Capers: I like to add capers for salty, savory, and tangy flavors.
- Ricotta Cheese: Ricotta cheese adds creaminess and richness to the salad.
- Salad Dressing: For the dressing, we need olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon or yellow mustard, maple syrup or honey, salt and pepper.
How To Make Orzo Salad
- Bring salted water to a boil in a large saucepan.
- Cook the orzo until al dente, according to the package instructions.
- Drain the orzo in a strainer and rinse well with cold water.
- Set aside.
- In a small jar or bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.
- Set aside.
- Add cooked pasta, chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, cilantro, basil, capers, and ricotta cheese in a large mixing bowl.
- Toss to combine everything well.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and stir again.
- Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, and lemon juice if necessary.
- Serve the Orzo Salad immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Substitutions
Chickpeas: Chickpeas make the salad filling, but you can skip them. Or, add your choice of cooked beans or lentils.
Veggies: You can add more or fewer vegetables than those mentioned in the recipe. Other vegetable suggestions include turnips, radishes, green peppers, celery, purple cabbage, zucchini, and baby spinach.
Capers: Use black or Kalamata olives instead of capers.
Cilantro: You can skip cilantro or add chopped parsley instead.
Ricotta Cheese: Add goat cheese or feta cheese, or for an Indian touch, add paneer cubes.
Recipe Tips
Cooking the Pasta: I like cooking pasta a little past al dente so it stays tender even after cooling.
Allow The Pasta To Cool: After draining the pasta into the strainer, rinse it with cold water for at least 15 seconds. So, the pasta will be cooled down, and it will not be sticky.
Make Ahead: You can prepare the Orzo salad up to a day in advance. Mix everything except the fresh herbs, cover, and refrigerate. When ready to serve, add herbs, mix well and serve.
More Easy Salads
Recipe Card
Orzo Salad / Easy Orzo Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For The Dressing
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon or yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For The Salad
- 1 cup dried orzo pasta
- 1 cup boiled chickpeas
- 1 medium English cucumber diced
- 1 large tomato diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- ⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro or parsley
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 2 teaspoon capers (optional)
- ¼ cup ricotta cheese (or add Feta chees if you like)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a boil; cook the orzo until al dente, according to the package instructions.
- Drain the orzo in a strainer and rinse well with cold water. Set aside.
- Whisk together oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper in a small jar or bowl. Set aside.
- Add cooked pasta, chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, cilantro, basil, capers, and ricotta cheese in a large mixing bowl. Toss to combine everything well.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and stir again. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, and lemon juice if necessary.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
- Cooking the Pasta: I like cooking pasta a little past al dente so it stays tender even after cooling.
- Allow the Pasta to Cool: After draining the pasta into the strainer, rinse it with cold water for at least 15 seconds. Cold water will cool the pasta quickly and prevent it from being sticky.
- Make Ahead: You can prepare the Orzo salad a day in advance. Mix everything except the fresh herbs, cover, and refrigerate. When ready to serve, add herbs, mix well and serve.
Thanks for coming! Let me know what you think.