This bright and flavorful mediterranean orzo salad is packed with chickpeas, crisp veggies, olives, and feta, tossed in a fresh lemon vinaigrette. Ready in just 30 minutes, it feeds a crowd and is perfect for summer lunches, picnics, or potlucks.
Ingredients
Salad
- 16 ounces uncooked orzo
- 15.5 ounce chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 small English cucumber sliced thinly
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives halved (or whole)
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 orange bell pepper diced
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- 6 oz feta cheese cubed or crumbled
Dressing
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 Tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 4 Tablespoon garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add dressing ingredients to a mason jar and shake to combine. (Or whisk to combine in a small bowl). Set aside.½ cup extra virgin olive oil, 6 Tablespoons lemon juice, 4 Tablespoon garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo until al dente as per package instructions, stirring occasionally to keep the orzo from sticking together.16 ounces uncooked orzo
- Once orzo is cooked, drain and rinse orzo in cold water, then transfer to a large bowl.
- Add chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, peppers, red onion, basil, and feta to the bowl.15.5 ounce chickpeas, 10 ounces cherry tomatoes, 1 small English cucumber, ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 orange bell pepper, 1 small red onion, ¼ cup fresh basil, 6 oz feta cheese
- Pour dressing over the salad and toss well to combine.
- Serve immediately or for better flavor, refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.
Notes
- Cook orzo to al dente to avoid a mushy salad—follow package instructions closely.
- Tastes better after chilling—let it sit in the fridge for 1–2 hours for best flavor.
- Keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 432mg | Potassium: 317mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 1mg
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