Easy Lemon Artichoke Orzo Salad

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Easy Lemon Artichoke Orzo Salad 🌱 A delicious & healthy Mediterranean pasta salad full of bright flavors & textures with artichoke hearts, chickpeas, olives, sun-dried tomatoes & plant-based feta in a citrusy lemon basil dressing.

Lemon artichoke orzo salad with green and black olives, sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, and vegan feta served in a bowl.

If you asked me what flavor profile I like most, I would say anything with lemon. If you asked me what dish I like most, I would say salad - green salads, fruit salads, bean salads, macaroni salads. It's no wonder I LOVE this easy lemon artichoke orzo salad. It's all my favorite foods & flavors combined into one glorious dish.

Who could resist this melange of soft chewy Greek orzo pasta intermingled with artichoke hearts, zesty sun-dried tomatoes, salty tart olives and protein-packed chickpeas tossed with a tangy lemon vinaigrette dressing then topped with creamy vegan feta? It's so delish!

A bowl filled with lemon artichoke orzo salad topped with vegan feta cheese.

What is orzo?

Orzo is a small, rice-shaped variety of pasta made from semolina flour (which is made of durum wheat). According to Good Housekeeping Magazine, orzo gets its name from the Italian word for "barley" due to its resemblance to the grain in its unprocessed form. Orzo is classified among pasta as "pastina" — a category of tiny shapes commonly used for soups. You can find orzo in the pasta aisle at your local grocery store.

🍋Why you should try this recipe

It's so tasty & easy to make.
Packed with protein and nutrients.
Perfect salad to serve to a crowd.
You can prepare it advance.
So colorful & appetizing!
Makes a great side dish or a complete meal on its own.
It's versatile - add or substitute ingredients you like!
Pairs beautifully with Vegan Zucchini Ravioli and Mediterranean Roasted Veggies.

Jump to:

🍋Why you should try this recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
🍋 A few helpful tips
🍋 FAQ's
Recipe
Food Safety
Comments

This salad is quick & simple to prepare. If you can boil water, you can make this delish dish! In less than 30 minutes, you'll be enjoying the best orzo salad! This recipe makes a large batch (up to 12 servings). Got leftovers? No worries - just refrigerate for up to 4 days, that is, if you don't gobble it up sooner.

Here's what you'll need:

Equipment

Large stovetop pot
Strainer or colander
Large mixing bowl
Cutting board
Kitchen knife
Measuring cup
Measuring spoons
Small whisk or spoon
Large spoon or salad servers
Citrus squeezer

Ingredients

This lemony orzo salad recipe is simple to adjust with ingredients you have on hand. Here's what I use, including suggestions for variations below.

Orzo pasta - use your favorite. I like this brand.
Artichoke hearts - packed in water or marinated.
Chickpeas (garbanzos) - I use canned.
Sun-dried tomatoes (soft)
Green olives - I used pimento stuffed olives, but you can use any variety you prefer.
Black olives
Vegan feta - I like this one. Use your favorite or substitute with vegan ricotta.
Basil - fresh

Lemon Basil Dressing

Lemon juice - fresh
Red wine vinegar (optional)
Basil - fresh
Olive oil
Lemon pepper
Garlic powder
Sea salt
Water

Variations & substitutions

Cucumber - chopped (I prefer to peel cucumber before adding to this salad)
Cherry tomatoes - halved or quartered
Red onion - diced
Kalamata olives or other varieties you prefer
Fresh garlic, dill, or parsley - minced
Red wine vinegar (I like to add a splash to my dressing)
Black pepper - freshly ground
Red pepper flakes
Other variety of small pasta or macaroni
Vegan ricotta or mozzarella

🥕See the printable recipe card below for quantities & complete details.

Prepared ingredients for lemon artichoke orzo salad arranged in a bowl.

Instructions

How to cook orzo

Fill a large stove top pot with 4+ quarts of water. Place on stove over high heat and bring to a rolling boil.
Pour and stir orzo pasta into boiling water. Cook for 8-10 minutes until just tender (al dente).
Remove orzo pasta from stove and drain.

🥕Note: Depending on the brand or type of orzo you use (like gluten-free), the cooking directions might differ from above. If so, follow the package directions.

While the orzo is cooking, prepare the dressing and other ingredients

Whisk together dressing ingredients. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, and chickpeas.
Pour dressing over salad and toss.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
When ready, add chopped basil and vegan feta.
That's it! Easy peasy!

A bowl with lemon artichoke orzo salad topped with vegan feta cheese.

🍋 A few helpful tips

Instead of using olive oil, you can add extra flavor by using the oil from marinated artichoke hearts.
Prefer no oil? No problem! Add an extra tablespoon or two of water to the lemon dressing.
I like to use bottled sun-dried tomatoes. They're soft, full of flavor, and ready to use. If you can only find dried tomatoes, reconstitute them in warm water for about an hour or in olive oil (refrigerated) overnight before using.
I adore artichoke hearts but I always make sure to remove or cut away any sharp or tough leaves before I add them to my salad.
The easiest way to chop basil or other soft leafy herbs is using a slicing technique known as chiffonade (a French word meaning ribbon). Simply gather or stack several leaves together, roll them into a tight little bundle and then make thin perpendicular slices across the roll.
You can prepare this salad salad several hours in advance of serving. It’s one of those dishes that gets even more flavorful over time as the bright and tangy dressing marinates and absorbs into the other ingredients.
I suggest waiting until you're ready to serve it before you chop your basil. The leaves will stay brighter and fresher. There's nothing quite like the wonderful aroma of freshly cut basil.

🍋 FAQ's

Can this recipe be prepared gluten-free?

Orzo is a pasta that is traditionally made with wheat flour, which contains gluten. I personally haven't prepared a gluten-free version of this recipe, but if I did, I would likely use this gluten-free orzo pasta made with corn and rice.

Does orzo need to be rinsed?

For this recipe it isn't necessary. If you're in a hurry to assemble your salad and the orzo is still hot from cooking, you can rinse it under cold water in a fine mesh strainer to cool it down.

Does orzo have egg?

Thankfully most store-bought types of orzo are vegan, but just to be on the safe side, always be sure to check labels.

How to store lemon artichoke orzo salad?

Keep your salad covered and refrigerated in an airtight food-safe container up to 4 days. The dressing will soak into the pasta over time, so if you want to add a little moisture, simply drizzle a small amount of olive oil and/or a squeeze of lemon juice and toss.

🌱 If you love this Easy Lemon Artichoke Orzo Salad recipe, you really should take a look at these delish dishes!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, please rate it in the comments below. Sharing your experience helps others decide if they should give it a try too. Thanks a bunch!

Recipe

Easy Lemon Artichoke Orzo Salad

by Connie🥕

Easy Lemon Artichoke Orzo Salad 🌱 A delicious & healthy vegan pasta salad full of bright flavors & textures with artichoke hearts, chickpeas, olives, sun-dried tomatoes & plant-based feta tossed in a tart & citrusy lemon basil dressing.

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Course Dinner, Lunch, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Greek, Italian, Mediterranean, Plant Based, Vegan

Servings

Calories 251 kcal

Equipment

Large stovetop pot
strainer or colander
Large mixing bowl
Cutting board
kitchen knife
Measuring cup
Measuring spoons
Small whisk or spoon
Large spoon or salad servers
citrus squeezer

Ingredients

1 lb orzo pasta
1 cup artichoke hearts drained & sliced
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) drained
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes bottled - drained and chopped
½ cup green olives sliced
½ cup black olives sliced
½ cup vegan cheese feta - crumbled
3 tablespoon fresh basil thinly sliced or chopped

Lemon Basil Dressing

6 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar optional - add more to taste
2 tablespoon fresh basil thinly sliced or chopped
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Fill pot with 4+ quarts of water. Place on stove over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. 🥕See notes below for alternative cooking directions
Pour and stir orzo pasta into boiling water. Cook for 8-10 minutes until just tender (al dente).
Remove orzo pasta from stove and drain. Allow to cool down.
Whisk together dressing ingredients. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, and chickpeas.
Pour dressing over salad and toss.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
When ready, add chopped basil and vegan feta.

Notes

🥕 Alternative cooking directions for orzo

Depending on the brand or type of orzo you use (like gluten-free), the cooking directions might differ from above. If so, follow the package directions.

🥕A few helpful tips for making the best lemon orzo salad ever!

Instead of using olive oil, you can add extra flavor by using the oil from marinated artichoke hearts.
Prefer no oil? No problem! Add two extra tablespoon of water to the lemon dressing.
I like to use bottled sun-dried tomatoes. They’re soft, full of flavor, and ready to use. If you can only find dried tomatoes, reconstitute them in warm water for about an hour or in olive oil (refrigerated) overnight before using.
I adore artichoke hearts but I always make sure to remove or cut away any sharp or tough leaves before I add them to my salad.
The easiest way to chop basil or other soft leafy herbs is using a slicing technique known as chiffonade (a French word meaning ribbon). Simply gather or stack several leaves together, roll them into a tight little bundle and then make thin perpendicular slices across the roll.
If you are preparing the salad several hours in advance of serving, I suggest waiting until you’re ready to serve it before you chop your basil. The leaves will stay brighter and fresher. There’s nothing quite like the wonderful aroma of freshly cut basil.

Nutrition

Calories: 251kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 8gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 697mgPotassium: 316mgFiber: 5gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 135IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 2mg

These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.