Lemony Italian Orzo Pasta Salad
Get ready to brighten up your taste buds with this Lemony Italian Orzo Pasta Salad! Bursting with fresh Mediterranean flavors and tangy lemon zest, this pasta salad is the perfect combination of zesty, savory, and refreshing. Perfect for a light lunch, a potluck, or a summer picnic, it’s a dish that’ll make you feel like you’re dining al fresco in Italy!
Lemony Italian Orzo Pasta Salad
- Prep Time
30 min
- Cook Time
30 min
- Total Time
1 hr
- Servings
4-6
- Difficulty
Medium
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 lb orzo pasta cooked
- 15oz can chickpeas drained
- ½ red onion diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup parmesan cheese cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 bunch basil chopped
- 1 bunch parsley chopped
Dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook your pasta according to instructions on the package. Do not forget to salt your pasta water. Drain well and put orzo in a large bowl to sightly cool.
- Prepare all your additions for your salad while the pasta is cooling. Drain your chickpeas, chop your red onion, tomatoes, cheese, and herbs. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, dijon, honey, and garlic until these ingredients emulsify. Slowly drizzle in your olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Toss all your additions- chickpeas, red onion tomatoes, cheese, and herbs in with the orzo.
- Drizzle with the dressing and toss to ensure everything is well coated. Finish off with extra basil and parsley.
- Can be served immediately warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Tips
*I like to make this in advanced to save time. I just leave out the dressing so that I can give it a fresh toss before serving.
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