Description
A delightful Orzo Salad recipe featuring orzo pasta, fresh vegetables, chickpeas, feta cheese, and a zesty Greek dressing. This salad is perfect for a light lunch or as a side dish for dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Orzo Salad:
- 1 1/2 cups dry orzo pasta
- 2 Persian cucumbers, halved vertically, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained, and rinsed
- 4 ounces feta cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
- 1 cup fresh basil and/or mint leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the Greek Salad Dressing:
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Cook Orzo: Boil salted water and cook orzo pasta until slightly past al dente. Drain, toss with olive oil, and cool on a baking sheet.
- Prepare Dressing: Make Greek Salad Dressing by combining red wine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, and sea salt.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix cooked orzo with cucumbers, tomatoes, chickpeas, feta, red onion, and olives. Add dressing, half of the herbs, black pepper, toss well, and garnish with remaining herbs.
Notes
- You can customize this salad by adding grilled chicken, shrimp, or tofu for extra protein.
- This salad tastes best when served fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
