Having a few go-to pasta salad recipes is never a bad idea. They are great for lunches, brunches, picnics, and BBQs. Usually quick to toss together, you can make them right before a meal, or by all means, make ahead of time. For one thing, preparing them before lets the flavors marinate together. Here’s a recipe for an orzo salad with lemon and herbs.
I threw this pasta salad recipe together last summer because I was fed up of eating the same Greek salad one I make. Given that it was summer, the garden was full of fresh herbs. I grabbed bunches of mint, chives, parsley, basil, and oregano. Let’s note here that you can use any of your favorite herbs. Likewise, if you don’t fancy some of these on the list, please feel free to omit.
Being part of a Greek family means you always have lemons on hand. So, to pair with the fresh herbs, a lemony olive oil dressing was the way to go here. Provided that you include some protein in your salad, it can be eaten as a meal on it’s own. Adding some chick peas gave it some substance and added texture. It was still missing a little something. Some baby cucumbers gave it a nice crunch.
This pasta salad can be easily put together in less than 15 min. Heading to a last minute BBQ this summer and need to bring a side dish? It’s perfect! Due to the fact that it has no dairy or mayonnaise, you can leave it out longer in the summer heat. It was a wonderful addition to my Mother’s Day brunch.
Orzo Salad with Lemon and Herbs
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 c. Orzo
- 1 c. Chick Peas
- 1/3 c. Lemon Juice
- 1/3 c. Olive Oil
- 1 c. Chopped Herbs
- 2 Baby Cucumbers
- Sat & Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Boil the orzo pasta according to the package. Drain and set aside to cool down.
- Chop your favorite herb.s (mint, chives, parsley, basil, oregano)
- Chop your cucumbers into small quarters.
- Mix lemon and olive oil together. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Place cooled orzo in a bowl, and add chick peas, herbs, cucumbers, and dressing. Toss together.
- You can eat right away or refrigerate for a few hours. Enjoy!
In conclusion, this is a quick and easy recipe that you can play around with. You can add any herbs you’d like, maybe some crumbled feta, or some diced peppers for additional color and crunch. Mix it up! Hope you enjoy this recipe.
Elisa
