Another day, another salad! I try to make some sort of salad each week that I can build meals on or just eat as a quick meal on its own when I’m on the go. If there’s already a salad made, I’m way more likely to actually eat it. I love combining a little pasta, a lot of vegetables, and maybe some beans too. This combo always makes a salad that is filling enough to serve as a light meal, but light enough to act as a side dish for one of my dinners. This Italian Orzo Salad is no exception.

Italian Orzo Salad

Substitutions

Orzo – Orzo can be a bit more difficult to find than other pastas, but you can substitute any small-shaped pasta in its place.

Homemade Vinaigrette – If you don’t feel like putting together your own vinaigrette for this salad, feel free to use your favorite bottled Italian style dressing, adding as much or as little to the salad as you prefer.

Grape Tomatoes – I wouldn’t suggest using a larger fresh tomato in this salad unless you plan to make and serve this salad the same day. Larger tomatoes are juicier and will have more cut edges, which will seep more water as the salad is stored. Oil-packed sun dried tomatoes would also be awesome in this, if you can find them for an affordable price.

Garbanzo Beans – Cannellini beans would make an excellent substitution, and would fit the Italian theme.

Add-Ins

If you’re not concerned about keeping this Italian Orzo Salad vegan, Parmesan cheese would be awesome on this salad, as would fresh mozzarella, or even diced salami.

Step by Step Photos

Make the vinaigrette first, so the flavors have time to blend (or use your favorite bottled Italian dressing). Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp Italian seasoning blend, 1/8 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, and 1/2 tsp sugar in a bowl or jar. Whisk the ingredients together or place the lid on the jar and shake until combined. Set the dressing aside.

Cook one cup orzo according to the package directions (boil until tender) then drain in a colander. Rinse briefly with cool water, then let it drain and cool as you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Also rinse and drain the chickpeas. It’s best if these two ingredients are not very wet (or hot) when you assemble the salad, or they’ll wilt the spinach and water down the dressing.

Roughly chop about 4 oz. fresh spinach. You don’t have to stress over the exact measurement of this, just eyeball half of an 8 oz. bag of spinach. Place the chopped spinach in a large bowl.

Slice about 1/3 cup kalamata olives and slice 2 roasted red peppers (about 1/2 of a 12 oz. jar). Add these to the bowl with the spinach.

Roughly chop the quartered artichoke hearts (again I used about 1/2 of a 12 oz. jar). Add these to the bowl with the other ingredients.

Slice the grape tomatoes in half, and add them to the bowl.

Finally, add the cooled and drained orzo and chickpeas to the bowl.

If you plan on keeping the salad in the fridge for a few days, toss the salad ingredients together then store it that way, without the dressing. If serving immediately, stir the vinaigrette once more, then add half to the salad and toss to combine. Add more dressing if desired (I added all of the dressing).

And that’s it! I served my Italian Orzo Salad with two slices of my Freezer Garlic Bread on the side. ;)

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