Orzo Salad is easy to assemble, perfect if you need to plan a side dish at the last minute! It is fresh, flavorful, satisfying, and easy to customize to your preferences. Jump to:Light and Fresh Orzo SaladWhy You Will Love Orzo SaladIngredients and NotesHow To Make Orzo SaladSubstitutions Recipe TipsMore Easy SaladsRecipe Card
Light and Fresh Orzo Salad
Orzo Salad is absolutely delicious! While orzo pasta and chickpeas make it satisfying and filling, ricotta provides creaminess and richness. I add cucumbers, bell peppers for crispiness, and tomatoes to make the salad juicy. I love adding cilantro to this salad, but you can add your choice of fresh herbs. In fact, you can easily customize the recipe by substituting one or more elements. Making the Orzo Salad is easy and quick! Orzo pasta does not take long to cook, and while the pasta is boiling, you can prepare the veggies and dressing. Then, combine everything in a large mixing bowl, toss well, and the salad is ready. Orzo Salad can also be prepared in advance, a few hours or a day before! Cover it tightly and refrigerate until ready to serve.
How To Make Orzo Salad
Bring salted water to a boil in a large saucepan. Cook the orzo until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain the orzo in a strainer and rinse well with cold water. Set aside.
In a small jar or bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Add cooked pasta, chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, cilantro, basil, capers, and ricotta cheese in a large mixing bowl. Toss to combine everything well.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and stir again. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, and lemon juice if necessary. Serve the Orzo Salad immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
More Easy Salads
Recipe Card
Veggies: You can add more or fewer vegetables than those mentioned in the recipe. Other vegetable suggestions include turnips, radishes, green peppers, celery, purple cabbage, zucchini, and baby spinach. Capers: Use black or Kalamata olives instead of capers. Cilantro: You can skip cilantro or add chopped parsley instead. Ricotta Cheese: Add goat cheese or feta cheese, or for an Indian touch, add paneer cubes. Allow The Pasta To Cool: After draining the pasta into the strainer, rinse it with cold water for at least 15 seconds. So, the pasta will be cooled down, and it will not be sticky. Make Ahead: You can prepare the Orzo salad up to a day in advance. Mix everything except the fresh herbs, cover, and refrigerate. When ready to serve, add herbs, mix well and serve.
