Simple Orzo Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is crammed with summery freshness in each chunk!

This vibrant orzo pasta salad combines garbanzo beans, feta cheese, and veggies, all tossed in an excellent easy olive oil lemon dressing.

Excellent for picnics, potlucks, or a fast weeknight dinner, serve it as a vegetarian principal dish or alongside grilled chicken or shrimp.

serving orzo pasta salad with a wooden spoon

Components for Orzo Pasta Salad

Orzo: The bottom of this recipe is orzo, a pasta that resembles outsized rice grains. Discovered within the pasta part of most grocery shops, it’s excellent for salads and may also be served sizzling. If orzo is unavailable, any mini pasta will work.

Greens: Grape or cherry tomatoes add tangy freshness. I add recent spinach (massaged kale works too!) into orzo salad. Be happy so as to add any of your favourite crisp veggies.

Chickpeas: Also called garbanzo beans, chickpeas add texture and protein making this hearty meal.

Daring Taste: This dish will get a taste increase from purple onion and feta cheese with a straightforward do-it-yourself dressing.

Variations

Add any veggies from chopped cauliflower to cucumbers or purple bell peppers.
Stir in kalamata olives, chopped artichokes, or sundried tomatoes.
Earlier than serving, sprinkle with recent herbs like recent mint, dill, parsley, or recent basil.
Swap the feta for goat cheese.

Dressing for Orzo Pasta Salad

This dressing takes simply a few minutes however you need to use any French dressing for an Orzo Pasta Salad.

Use a lightweight flavored olive oil, further virgin olive oil could be a bit bitter for dressings.
Stir in 1 teaspoon honey instead of sugar if desired.
Lemon zest or recent dill might be added.
To make it rapidly, shake the dressing in a mason jar with a lid.

Find out how to Make Orzo Pasta Salad

Whisk the dressing elements (per the recipe beneath).
Cook dinner the orzo till tender, then drain and funky.
Mix all elements in a big bowl and toss with dressing. Chill for 1 hour earlier than serving.

Pouring dressing over Orzo pasta salad with tomatoes, spinach and chickpeas in a bowl

Suggestions For a Excellent Pasta Salad

Cook dinner and rinse the orzo to maintain it from overcooking.
Whisk dressing elements as much as 2 days forward of time.
Chill the salad for a minimum of an hour earlier than serving to let the flavors mix.
Reserve some tomatoes and feta for garnish or sprinkle some herbs on prime.

Extra Excellent Pasta Salads

Uncover a world of scrumptious with these hearty pasta salad recipes! They’re the right, crowd-pleasing dishes to whip up, whether or not you’re feeding a household, planning a picnic, or simply craving a flavorful, satisfying meal.rnrnrnrnrn

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This straightforward orzo pasta salad is a enjoyable Mediterranean twist on a basic pasta salad. With tomatoes, spinach, and garbanzo beans, it is full of taste!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook dinner Time 10 minutes

Chill Time 1 hour

Complete Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook dinner orzo till tender. Cool.
Mix all dressing elements in a small bowl and whisk.
Mix orzo with remaining salad elements.
Toss with dressing and season with salt and pepper.
Refrigerate a minimum of 1 hour earlier than serving.

Orzo Pasta Salad will preserve in a coated container within the fridge for as much as 2 days. Stir earlier than serving once more.

Diet info offered is an estimate and can differ primarily based on cooking strategies and types of elements used.

Course Pasta, Salad, Aspect Dish

Delicacies American, Mediterranean

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