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Close up shot of Greek orzo salad with feta.
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Orzo salad with feta and chickpeas

Orzo salad with feta and chickpeas is a Mediterranean-style vegetarian pasta salad. This picnic-perfect salad is packed with crunchy vegetables, creamy feta, chickpeas, tossed in a simple homemade lemony dressing. This quick salad gets ready in just 20 minutes and is delicious!
Course Salad
Cuisine Italian
Diet Vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 284kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups uncooked orzo around 250 grams
  • 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas around 250 grams
  • 1 medium-sized cucumber chopped
  • ½ bell pepper chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut into half
  • 1 small red onion chopped
  • 2-3 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ cup chopped dill
  • ¼ cup sliced kalamata olives
  • ¼ cup chopped walnut kernels
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice adjust to taste
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup honey or any other sweetener can be used too.
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 3 teaspoons blend of dried oregano, basil, and red chili flakes mixed in equal proportion
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper adjust to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Water to cook orzo

Instructions

  • Put water and some salt in a large cooking pot. Boil. Add orzo to the boiling water and cook as per the instructions given on its packet. Strain cooked orzo and rinse with cold water.
  • Prepare the salad dressing by mixing lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, maple syrup, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning in a bowl.
  • Put cooked orzo into a large salad bowl.
  • Add all the remaining ingredients except feta cheese.
  • Pour salad dressing and gently toss.
  • Add feta before serving and enjoy!

Video

Notes

  1. This salad can serve around 8 people if served as a side dish.  However, if you want to have it as a meal then it will serve around 4-5 people.
  2. Cook orzo al dente. If you overcook the orzo, it will turn mushy in the salad.
  3. Allow the pasta to reach room temperature before adding the herbs and vegetables otherwise they will get cooked. However, don't let it get cold completely as orzo will absorb the flavors better when still warm.
  4. Add feta only before serving.
  5. Toss pasta gently otherwise, it will break.
  6. You can use any short pasta to make this recipe.
  7. More recipe-related tips and tricks are shared in the post above, please follow them to make this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 523IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 2mg