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Healthy Greek Orzo Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing

overhead view of greek orzo pasta salad in a white bowl with a gold spoon.
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If you're in need of a make-ahead friendly Mediterranean side dish, look no further! You'll love this delicious, healthy Greek orzo pasta salad with homemade Greek dressing. Loaded with feta, veggies, chickpeas, olives and artichokes, it's always a crowd pleaser. (vegetarian)

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 cups dry orzo (I use whole wheat)
  • 3 qts water
  • Large pinch salt
  • 1 cup sliced cucumbers (about half a large cucumber)
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 1/3 cup kalamata olives
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
  • 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained
  • 1/2 cup canned artichoke quarters, drained
  • 1/3 - 1/2 cup Greek Dressing

Instructions

  1. Cook orzo by bringing 3 quarts of water and a generous pinch of salt to a boil in a pot. Add orzo and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain orzo and place it in a large bowl.
  2. While orzo cooks, make the dressing. Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a bowl or measuring cup. Or add everything to a jar with a lid and shake it until combined.
  3. Slice cucumbers into half moons or quarters, thinly slice red onion, and halve cherry tomatoes and olives.
  4. Add chopped veggies to the bowl with the orzo and add artichokes, feta, and chickpeas.
  5. Pour in dressing, starting with about 1/3 cup, and toss to coat. Add more dressing as needed.
  6. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

Notes

  • For vegan version, omit feta.
  • Use half water and half broth when boiling the orzo for more flavor. No need to add any oil when boiling.
  • For gluten-free, use gluten-free orzo shaped pasta/rice, such as Banza 'rice' or Right Rice.
  • You can also use any small pasta shape you like.
  • The ingredients in this recipe are super flexible. Like I mentioned, sometimes I leave out the chickpeas (on accident) or use white beans. I don't really like kalamata olives so I usually use black olives. If you don't like something, leave it out.
  • If you want the dressing to emulsify more than by whisking, blend it in the food processor or blender.

Keywords: healthy orzo pasta salad, greek orzo pasta salad, healthy greek orzo salad

Find it online: https://livelytable.com/healthy-greek-orzo-pasta-salad-with-homemade-dressing/