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
- Roasted Cauliflower Feta and Orzo Salad
- Greek Tortellini Salad
- Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Cucumbers, Lemon, Dill, & Feta
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Easy Pasta Salad
Orzo Salad
Ingredients
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:
- ¼ 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
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag @twopeasandpod and hashtag it with #twopeasandtheirpod
Photos by Molly
Thanks for Sharing!
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment below! You can also share a picture on Instagram! Tag @twopeasandpod and use the hashtag #twopeasandtheirpod.
Maria, I really love your pasta salads and am looking forward to making this one.
On a side note: in Europe orzo is also called „kritharaki“ or „greek noodles“ and you can find them at the „from other countries“-aisles.
Good to know! Thanks for sharing!
Made this last night and LOVED it. I used the Arugula and balsamic vinegar (my store did not have the champagne). It was super easy to put together
Thanks for letting us know! I am thrilled you loved it!
Delicious and colorful salad! Thank you.
You are welcome!
Made the orzo salad last night (my stay at home birthday dinner)
Forgot to add feta,but will for tonight!
So glad you like it! It is good with or without the feta:) And happy birthday!
Made this yesterday! Cudn’t stop eating it!
I know the feeling:) It’s so good!
Just loved this easy salad! Have eaten it for 3 days in a row. Added a can of Italian tuna the second day (oil packed) and it was delicious. I will make this often as it is a new summer favorite for ,e!
I could eat it every day too! Glad you loved it!
First time I’ve used golden balsamic very smooth and mild . I did add kalamata olives and the salad was delicious!!
I love golden balsamic. I am glad you tried it and enjoyed it. I love adding olives too!
I accidentally bought goat cheese crumbles and it was still so delicious…I almost never follow recipes to the “T” but I did on this one and it’s amazing. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes you share, your site helps me keep motivated to cook. -Angie
Goat cheese would be good too! Glad you liked the salad! I love sharing recipes:)
Really good, thank you for the simple healthy recipe! I made it with garbanzo beans but I also think it might be delicious with smoked salmon. Thanks again!
Two peas is one of my favorite recipe sites. This salad was AWESOME. Some minor edits: we added toasted walnuts and substituted chickpeas for navy beans. My husband would never consider a salad as dinner, but could not get enough of this!!. As always, thank you for another wonderful recipe!!