An easy, flavorful Mediterranean orzo pasta salad recipe with feta cheese, chickpeas and lots of lemon!
Whenever I need an easy dish to bring to a potluck or want a make-ahead lunch during the week, this little toasted orzo salad recipe is usually what I turn to.
Of course if you cooked pasta every night of the week everyone will be happy (especially me).
But at the same time, we’re all trying to add more healthy bang-for-the-buck to the plate. Enter toasted orzo salad!
This salad has a lot going on, with a nice balance of orzo with vegetables, fresh green herbs and creamy feta cheese in a cumin-spiced lemony dressing.
Orzo has a place in a healthy pantry
While it’s technically a type of pasta often used in soups and side dishes, I often treat orzo as if it were a hearty whole grain like farro or brown rice.
In fact, the word “orzo” is the Italian word for barley, a grain often used as a substitute for rice and pasta in parts of northern Italy.
In case you’re wondering, Italian orzo pasta is called risoni.
It makes sense that the rice-shaped pasta is so versatile and easy to like.
I find that toasting it first and mixing it with lots of vegetables makes it ten times more complex and interesting than plain pasta.
This recipe plays up the Greek flavor profile of orzo with ingredients from the Mediterranean pantry:
- Chickpeas
- Olive oil
- Dill
- Cucumber
- Lemon
- Cumin
- Feta cheese
When asparagus is out of season or not available, you can substitute 2 cups of another vegetable, like sweet peas, snap peas or small broccoli florets.
More healthy one-dish meals:
- Parmesan Polenta with Roasted Vegetables
- Creamy Chicken Cavatelli with Zucchini
- Classic Italian Minestrone Soup
Toasted Orzo Salad with Asparagus, Lemon and Chickpeas
Healthy and fresh Toasted Orzo Salad is full of vegetables and bright simple flavors. Perfect make-ahead meal for lunch boxes and potlucks.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup orzo pasta
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Black pepper from a peppermill
- 1/2 pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed; slice into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill or cilantro (or a combination)
- 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 green onions, finely sliced
- 2 Persian cucumbers, chopped
- 2 cups washed baby arugula
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted *
Instructions
- Place a dry 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the orzo and toast until golden brown and nutty-smelling, about 10 minutes, tossing the pan frequently. Remove from the heat and cool.
- In a large serving bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, zest, olive oil, cumin, salt, a good 10 grinds of pepper.
- Bring 3 quarts salted water to a boil and cook the orzo until al dente. Add the asparagus during the last 2 or 3 minutes of cooking. Drain in a colander, then immediately run under cold running water for about 30 seconds. Drain well and transfer to the serving bowl.
- Add the chickpeas, dill, feta, green onions, cucumber, arugula and pine nuts to the bowl and gently toss together. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt, lemon or olive oil if needed.
Notes
- This salad keeps well for a day or two. Serve at room temperature for the best flavor.
- To toast pine nuts, heat them in a small skillet for about 5 minutes over medium heat until they turn lightly golden. Keep an eye on them, because they can go from toasted to burned very quickly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 228 Total Fat: 10g Saturated Fat: 2g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 7g Cholesterol: 7mg Sodium: 391mg Carbohydrates: 30g Fiber: 5g Sugar: 9g Protein: 8g
Pin this recipe for later:
Hi there! I’m Karen, a mother of two and a professionally trained cook certified in holistic nutrition.
As the recipe developer, photographer and publisher of Familystyle Food, I share recipes and tips for making easy seasonal meals that are healthy and flavorful. Learn more about me here.
Check out the full recipe index.
Have a question or feedback on a recipe?
Join the conversation and leave a comment below, or send me an email — I love hearing from you!
Eileen says
That looks delicious–right up my alley for a quick and delicious lunch. Thanks for the great idea!
Amanda says
I can’t believe more people don’t comment about your recipes. I love them. Real food to liven things up and make use of what you’ve got on hand (for the most part).
Molly says
How much orzo does this recipe call for?
Karen says
Molly – thanks for pointing out that omission! It’s 3/4 cup orzo, recipe corrected above.
Leah says
I love this recipe! I am a vegetarian student with limited funds and I got all of the ingredients that we needed for this recipe for $8! I brought it to a barbecue and got great reviews. Thanks for the great food!
Karen says
I hope you inspire all your friends, Leah 😉
So glad you liked it.
Albert Bevia says
I love everything about this orzo salad, from all the fresh ingredients to that feta cheese, I could seriously eat this everyday, thank you for the recipe 🙂
Karen says
Albert – thanks so much! This is a great recipe to indulge in – pretty healthy, but also satisfying 😉
Carl Lauro says
Just finished preparing this amazing salad. Never knew Orzo could be toasted…what a dif! Many of my favorite flavors in one bowl! Thank you!
Karen says
Carl! That makes me so happy :))
Tiffany says
This salad was so so yummy! I made it on Sunday night for lunches to bring to work, but my roommates and I haven’t been able to stop picking and I’m worried there might not be any left! Thanks so much for another great, easy recipe.