Orzo Salad

This orzo salad is made with crisp, colorful veggies, tender pasta, garbanzo beans, fresh basil, and a zesty lemon vinaigrette. Light, vibrant, and perfect for a summer side dish!

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Orzo Salad Recipe

This orzo salad is bright, fresh, and so easy to toss together. It’s quickly become one of my go-to pasta salad recipes for summer potlucks and casual lunches. You’ll love the classic Mediterranean ingredients and vibrant colors.

Inspired by Giada’s cookbook, this version uses a lighter lemon vinaigrette, extra juicy tomatoes, and a bit less onion for a more balanced flavor. Serve it as a healthy side dish with grilled chicken or alongside a warm bowl of chicken orzo soup any time of year.

Ingredient Notes

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

• Chicken broth: Adds savory depth to the pasta. You can also use vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian.
• Orzo: A small rice-shaped pasta that cooks quickly. If you can’t find orzo, other small shapes like ditalini, small shells, or even couscous work well.
• Garbanzo beans:Also called chickpeas. For a creamier texture, you can substitute white beans such as cannellini.
• Grape tomatoes: Or cherry tomatoes, use whatever looks freshest or you have in your garden.
• Red onion: Adds a mild, savory bite. For a milder flavor, soak the chopped onion briefly in cold water.
• Fresh basil: Gives a fresh, herby taste. You can substitute fresh parsley or add in some dill and fresh mint, too.
• Easy vinaigrette: For the lemon salad dressing you will need olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, honey plus salt and pepper.

How to Make Orzo Salad

1. Make orzo. Heat the broth in a large pot over high heat then add orzo and cover slightly with a lid. To avoid it being mush, cook only for 7 minutes. Drain and allow to cool completely.
2. Combine dressing ingredients. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper for the dressing. Add more salt and pepper, to taste. 
3. Combine salad: Toss the orzo with the beans, tomatoes, onion, basil and enough vinaigrette to coat. If serving later in the day, reserve some of the dressing to toss into the orzo pasta right before serving.
4. Serve. Immediately serve your orzo salad or refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Recipe Tips

• Mediterranean flavors: Add extras like feta cheese, sliced kalamata olives, bell peppers, cucumbers, arugula or spinach.
• Other pasta or grain: You could always swap the orzo for cooked quinoa, rice, rotini, penne or even make a bulgur salad.
• Orzo salad dressing: You could use a homemade Italian dressing or Greek salad dressing or add some Italian seasoning or dijon mustard to the orzo dressing.
• Let pasta cool. Rinse pasta with cold water and let cool. You don’t want the veggies in the orzo salad to wilt from pasta that’s still warm!
• Serving suggestions: Make this pasta salad into meal! Just add cooked chicken for a chicken orzo salad or serve with grilled salmon.