Lemony orzo salad is a light pasta salad loaded with vegetables and chickpeas dressed in a creamy, lemony dressing. This tasty lemony orzo salad recipe is a great side dish or an entree salad. Add tofu feta cheese for a delicious summer dinner.
This lemony orzo salad recipe is made with fresh summer produce making it light and refreshing. Healthy and delicious, this vegans salad is a perfect make-ahead lunch, entree salad, or side dish, so what are you waiting for? Dig in!
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Since orzo pasta is so light and fluffy, the lemony dressing soaks into the pasta and bathes the vegetables. Not only is lemony orzo salad easy to make, but it can also be dressed and made ahead of time.
Orzo Salad Ingredients
Although the salad's main highlights are the orzo and the lemony dressing, the vegetables complement each other. Even though you can choose any of your favorite vegetables, I selected a few of my favorite ingredients.
Another must is the combination of fresh herbs to enhance the flavors of the vegetables and lemony dressing.
- Orzo Pasta: Orzo pasta is small-sized pasta similar to the size of rice, but it's pasta. (f you are looking for a gluten-free option, try gluten-free orzo).
- Chickpeas: The chickpeas add texture and protein to the salad.
- Cucumber: I like English cucumbers because they contain fewer seeds, ensuring the salad doesn't get soggy.
- Red Onion: Red onion is sweet and tangy and adds depth of flavor to the orzo salad.
- Grape Tomatoes: I chose grape tomatoes and sliced them into small pieces. They add color and sweetness to the salad.
- Mint: mint is a subtly sweet taste and cool sensation that comes from the menthol contained in the herb.
- Basil: I love the taste of fresh basil. Basil has a sweet, pungent, and slightly spicy flavor.
- Parsley: Parsley has a clean and peppery taste with a touch of earthiness.
Orzo Salad Ingredient Substitutions
- Ditalini Pasta. Like Orzo, ditalini is also considered a “pastina” or “little pasta."
- Try white beans instead of chickpeas.
- Persian cucumbers are similar to English cucumbers.
- Green onions are an excellent substitute for red onions.
- Cherry tomatoes are similar to grape tomatoes.
- If using dry herbs instead of fresh herbs, use half the amount of dry herbs since they are stronger in flavor.
Since orzo pasta cooks so quickly, a lemony orzo salad recipe can be made in under 15 minutes. Of course, if you plan to make Tofu Feta Cheese to add to an entree salad, make the tofu feta ahead of time.
Lemon Dressing Ingredients
Because the lemony dressing highlights the orzo salad, I used light champagne vinegar to bring out the lemony flavor.
Like other wine vinegar, champagne is made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Once combined with the other dressing ingredients, the grapes' acid creates a delicious oil-free dressing for any salad.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice is best when making dressings and sauces.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves give the dressing and warm and creamy taste.
- Tahini: Tahini adds a creaminess to the dressing and a nutty flavor.
- Champagne Vinegar: Champagne Vinegar is light and sweet.
- Water: Water acts as an emulsifier in the absence of oil.
Lemon Dressing Ingredient Substitutions
- Opt for bottled lemon juice if fresh juice isn't available.
- One clove of garlic equals about ⅛th of a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Cashew butter or almond butter is a great substitute for tahini.
- Choose unsweetened, unflavored plant yogurt or silken tofu for a nut-free option.
- White wine vinegar substitutes champagne vinegar in recipes.
How to Make Lemony Orzo Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta according to the packaged directions.
- Drain the pasta in a colander, and rinse the orzo in cold water.
- Transfer the cool orzo to a bowl.
- Add the other ingredients.
- Once the orzo salad ingredients are combined, toss with the dressing ahead of time, and allow the salad to cool in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Thee longer the lemony orzo salad sits in the refrigerator, the better.
- Then, I garnished it with beautiful slices of lemon to add a more lemony flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Since orzo is a whole-grain pasta, it offers many health benefits. Combining it with various vegetables makes it even healthier.
Although it looks like rice, orzo is whole-grain pasta.
Orzo does contain gluten; however, gluten-free varieties of orzo are available.
Tips
- Adding salt to pasta water gives each noodle a chance to absorb some of the salty taste as it cooks, enhancing the final dish's flavor.
- Ensure the water is boiling before adding the orzo, stir to combine, and reduce the heat to simmer.
- Orzo takes 8 minutes to cook al dente, so set a timer. Overcooked pasta is soggy and mushy, and no one likes soggy pasta.
- Running cold water over cooked pasta in a colander stops the pasta from cooking and cools it quickly for a quick and easy cold pasta salad.
- Make the dressing first and refrigerate while the pasta cooks, allowing it to chill.
- Allow this lemony orzo pasta recipe is served cold, it can also be served warm.
- For variety, consider roasting the vegetables instead of adding them to the salad raw.
- Dress the salad beforehand and allow the flavors to develop in the refrigerator before serving.
Enjoy the freshness of summer with this lemony orzo salad recipe.
Vegan Salads to Enjoy All Year Round
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📖 Recipe
Lemony Orzo Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Uncooked Orzo Pasta or gluten-free orzo pasta
- 15 ounces Chickpeas rinsed and drained
- ½ English Cucumber diced
- ½ Red Onion diced
- 1 cup Grape Tomatoes cut in halves
- 3 Tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 3 Tablespoons fresh basil chopped
- 3 Tablespoons fresh mint chopped
Lemony Dressing
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large lemon zested and juiced
- 5 Tablespoons Tahini
- ¼ cup champagne vinegar
- ½ cup water
Tofu Feta Cheese (Optional)
- 1 recipe Tofu Feta Cheese
Garnish
- Fresh lemon slices
Instructions
Cooking the Orzo
- Bring 6 cups of water and 3 Tablespoons salt (yes, 3 Tablespoons; don't worry, you rinse it off) to a boil.
- Add 12 ounces of orzo pasta and stir.
- Once boiling again, reduce heat to low and simmer for 8 minutes.
- Then, transfer the pasta to a colander and rinse with cold water, moving the pasta around to ensure all the pasta is cooled to room temperature and the salt is removed.
- Shake any excess water out and place cooled pasta into a large bowl.
- While the pasta cooks, chop the vegetables and blend the dressing.
Lemon Dressing
- Place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender.
- Tip: Add the tahini last, so it doesn't stick in the bottom of the blender cup.
- Blend until smooth
Tofu Feta Cheese
- Crumble the tofu feta cheese and allow to cool before adding to the lemony orzo salad
Assembling the Salad
- Add the chickpeas, chopped vegetables, and herbs to the orzo pasta.
- Pour the dressing over the contents of the bowl.
- Stir and cover.
- Place them in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Add crumbled tofu (optional).
- Serve with a lemon slice as garnish.
Notes
- Adding salt to pasta water gives each noodle a chance to absorb some salty taste as it cooks, enhancing the final dish's flavor.
- Ensure the water is boiling before adding the orzo, stir to combine, and reduce the heat to simmer.
- Orzo takes 8 minutes to cook al dente, so set a timer. Overcooked pasta is soggy and mushy, and no one likes soggy pasta.
- Running cold water over cooked pasta in a colander stops the pasta from cooking and cools it quickly for a quick and easy cold pasta salad.
- Make the dressing first and refrigerate while the pasta cooks, allowing it to chill.
- Allow this lemony orzo pasta recipe to be served cold; it can also be served warm.
- For variety, consider roasting the vegetables instead of adding them to the salad raw.
- Dress the salad beforehand and allow the flavors to develop in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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