Mediterranean Orzo Salad – Healthy and flavorful, this Greek inspired orzo recipe is filled with a variety of veggies adding lots of color and texture, and is a perfect quick and easy vegan side dish or main meal!
With plenty of ingredients left over from making this Mediterranean Mashed Chickpea Salad, I decided to pull together this healthy Mediterranean style orzo pasta recipe. I absolutely love the shape and texture of orzo, and it’s great for pasta salads!
You’ll find this easy Mediterranean Orzo Salad to be fairly classic, using simple ingredients that are easily accessible. It’s full of flavorful goodness and will make enough to feed a crowd or leave you with plenty leftovers for meal prep!
When you have a craving for orzo, this quick and easy, healthy vegan pasta dish is perfect! For variation try this Greek Pasta Salad or Greek Quinoa Salad, both of which are delicious!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredients are easily accessible, and can be changed up to suit your taste or needs. If you skip one or two of the ingredients, you’ll still have a delicious mediterranean inspried orzo salad!
Here is everything you will need:
- Orzo – use regular, whole wheat or spelt (I used this Spelt Orzo from Amazon (affiliate link) since the pandemic left my store empty. It was pricy, but good!)
- Chickpeas – garbanzo beans adds protein and texture, can be omitted if preferred
- Cherry tomatoes – adds a nice juiciness
- Artichoke hearts – use whole or halve, pref in water
- Kalamata olives – green olives, or a combo would be great too
- Red bell pepper – adds a nice sweetness, can be omitted
- Red onion – adds just the right amount of onion flavor and pop of color
- Parsley + dill – dill adds a cool, refreshing flavor, but you may opt to substitute that for some fresh oregano.
- Pine nuts – pine nuts have a wonderful distinct flavor, but can be omitted
- Lemon – ties it all together, adding brightness and juices
- Salt + pepper – to taste, use enough salt just to bring out all the flavors
Variations
- Add cucumber for a cool and refreshing flavor, or use as a substitute for one of the other ingredients.
- Lemon juice is used to dress the salad (with the option of adding olive oil). You could add a little zing with a few splashes of red wine vinegar.
- Hemp hearts would be a nice replacement for the pine nuts, adding a good dose of nutrition. Use 1/4 cup hemp hearts. Also, sunflower seeds would be great too!
How To Make Mediterranean Orzo Salad
(Note – The full printable recipe is at the bottom of this post)
- Cook the orzo.
- While the orzo is cooking, prep the veggies.
- In a large bowl add the cooked orzo, red bell pepper, onion, chickpeas, artichoke, olives, tomatoes, pine nuts, parsley, dill, lemon pepper and salt.
- Add the lemon juice and optional oil over top, toss well to coat. Add more lemon-pepper and salt to taste.
And there you have it, this Greek inspired orzo salad is ready in under 30 minutes from start to finish.
This is a great healthy, summer pasta salad that’s perfect for picnics, potlucks, or make ahead meals to-go!
How To Store Orzo Salad
- Refrigerator: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerate in an airtight container, for up to 5 – 6 days.
- Make ahead: Orzo salad can be made a day ahead for ease and kept in the refrigerator until serving time.
- Meal prep: It’s also perfect for weekly meal prep. Store serving size portions in containers for a quick lunch or grab-n-go meal.
Serving Suggestions
- Served chilled or at room temperature.
- Try adding a small handful of leafy greens to your serving for added freshness and fiber. It’s delicious!
- Serve alongside these Grilled Vegan Kielbasa and Vegetable Skewers.
More Easy Mediterranean Recipes
The flavors of the mediterranean are varied and delicious. Try these other wonderful mediterranean recipes, you just may find a new favorite for the meal rotation!
- Balela Salad
- Baked Falafel Salad
- Socca (Flatbread)
- Mediterranean Mashed Chickpea Salad
- Mediterranean Pizza
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup
If you try this orzo pasta recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintMEDITERRANEAN ORZO SALAD
Mediterranean Orzo Salad is a flavorful greek inspired orzo salad with chickpeas, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, red bell peppers, tomatoes, dill, parsley and plenty of lemony flavor and nutty pine nuts.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8 1x
- Category: Pasta, Entree, Side
- Method: boil, mix
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 16 oz package orzo (pref. whole wheat)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 medium red onion, diced
- 1 can (14oz) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
- 1 can (14oz) artichoke hearts, sliced
- 2/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced in half or quartered
- 1 pint (8oz) cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1/2 cup loosely packed chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill fronds or 2 teaspoons dried
- mineral salt + pepper (or lemon pepper), or to taste
- 2 lemons, juice of (about 3 – 4 tablespoons)
- 3 – 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, optional
Instructions
Orzo: Cook the orzo pasta according to package instructions.
Assemble: In a large bowl add the cooked orzo, red bell pepper, onion, chickpeas, artichoke, olives, tomatoes, pine nuts, parsley, dill, salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice and optional oil over top, toss well to coat. Season to taste.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Salad is great alone. Also, try adding a small handful of leafy greens such as arugula to your serving for added freshness and fiber. It’s delicious!
Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container, for up to 5 – 6 days.
Serves 8
Notes
For a healthy option, look for artichoke hearts and olives packed in water, instead of oil.
Diced cucumber would be great in this salad. Simply substitute any vegetable or add it as an extra ingredient.
Use couscous as a replacement for the orzo if you like.
A little red wine vinegar would also be nice here, use 3 – 4 tablespoons.
Looking to change up the herbs? Oregano would be a great addition.
Updated: Mediterranean Orzo Salad was originally published in August 2018. It has been retested and updated with new photos and helpful tips in June 2020.
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Deborah says
Easy, delicious. Great for a potluck Added arugula, cause I love arugula.
★★★★★
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Sounds wonderful, arugula is perfect with this orzo salad! Cheers :)