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!
Orzo Salad Recipe
This orzo salad is so tasty and such an easy side dish to whip up quickly. It has become one of my favorite pasta salad recipes and a dish that guests love. It’s so fresh and vibrant with classic Mediterranean flavors that taste so delicious.
I adapted this recipe from Giada’s cookbook. I only made half of the lemon dressing, used less onion and added more tomatoes. It’s the perfect addition to any summer meal or try it with a bowl of chicken orzo soup year-round!
Salad Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Chicken broth: You can also use vegetable broth if preferred.
- Orzo: If you can’t find orzo any other small pasta works.
- Garbanzo beans: Also known as chickpeas, white beans would also work great.
- Grape tomatoes: Or cherry tomatoes.
- Red onion: Adds savory taste.
- Fresh basil: Gives a fresh, herby taste.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Serve. Immediately serve your orzo salad or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tips and Variations
- Fresh herbs: Add fresh mint leaves, dill or fresh parsley for more flavor.
- 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.
- Additional flavor: Cook orzo in chicken broth (instead of water) to give the pasta an extra boost of flavor.
- 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: Serve with grilled chicken or shrimp, grilled salmon or grilled chicken kabobs
More favorite summer salad recipes include this cucumber tomato salad, creamy cucumber salad recipe and Mediterranean quinoa salad!
More Favorite Pasta Salad Recipes
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Orzo Salad
Video
Ingredients
Salad:
- 4 cups chicken broth , or vegetable broth
- 1 to 1 ½ cups orzo , uncooked
- 15 ounce can garbanzo beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 pint grape tomatoes , halved
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
Dressing:
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ Tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make orzo pasta. Heat 4 cups broth in a large pot over high heat. Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups orzo and cover slightly with a lid. Cook for 7 minutes, or until cooked. Drain and allow to cool completely.
- Whisk together (or shake in a jar) 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 Tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper for the dressing. Add more salt and pepper, to taste.
- 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. Refrigerate orzo salad until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
FAQs
Yes! You can easily make this dish the night before or morning of if preferred. Prepare as directed, but make sure to reserve some of the vinaigrette to toss into the salad right before serving. This keeps it from drying out. Then cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Yes! Although it looks similar in shape to rice, it is made from a whole grain, white flour or semolina. It works well in pasta salad recipes because the smaller size soaks up the dressing well.
To avoid mushy orzo, cook it for around 7 minutes.
Store leftovers of this pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The orzo will soak up the dressing as it site, add a splash of dressing to rehydrate it if it has gone dry.
Categorized as: Dairy-Free, Dinner, Mediterranean, Pasta Salad, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian, Vegetarian, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Absolutely delicious!! I make this one at least twice a month! I started by making a half batch since it’s only for me but now I make it all and sometimes share with my sister or my neighbor but mostly it it all lol! So tasty and healthy!
So glad you enjoy the orzo salad Sarah! Lucky neighbor!
I can eat this salad on a daily basis! I have made this two times this weekend, and it didnt last long! This is definitely going in the recipe book.