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

Easy Lemon Artichoke Orzo Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 251kcal
Author: 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.
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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

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: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 697mg | Potassium: 316mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 135IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 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!🥕