Easy Lemon Artichoke Orzo Salad 🌱 A light and delicious 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.
Who could resist this comforting combo 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!
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. Plus, it pairs beautifully with Vegan Zucchini Ravioli and Mediterranean Roasted Veggies.
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.
- 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!
Table of Contents
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
Here are the kitchen tools I used to prepare this recipe
- 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
🍋Ingredient Notes
🥕See the printable recipe card below for quantities & details.
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
🍋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!
🍋 Helpful hints
- 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.
- Trim the artichoke hearts. 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 3 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 might like to take a look at some of these sensational summer salads!
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Please let me know by giving it a ★★★★★ rating & leave a comment below. Thanks a bunch!🥕
Recipe
Easy Lemon Artichoke Orzo Salad
Equipment
- Large stovetop pot
- strainer or colander
- Large mixing bowl
- Small whisk or spoon
- Large spoon or salad servers
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
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.
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Shilpa says
Love this delicious pasta. And that lemon dressing sounds so delicious and refreshing.
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
What a delicious looking simple pasta salad. This will be perfect to bring for lunch every day!
Dawn Conklin says
I made this easy orzo salad for lunch and it is so delicious! The flavors come together perfectly and it is easy to make. It made the perfect healthy lunch for the family.
Giangi Townsend says
All my favorite ingredients in one wonderfully delicious plate. I am in heaven and changing my lunch plans. Love it! Thank you for sharing
Liz McCarthy says
I made this for some ladies who are coming over for lunch tomorrow and I can’t wait to serve it to them. I tasted it and it’s really delicious. I will add the basil right before I serve it tomorrow. Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
Hi Liz! I'm sure the ladies will love your salad!🍋🌱 It's one of my all-time favorites. Thanks so much for sharing & enjoy your lunch!
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
This recipe combines my favorite flavors and salad ingredients into one perfect pasta plate. Enjoy it as a side or main dish!