Vegan Orzo Salad
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.My refreshing 20-minute vegan orzo salad recipe is the ideal recipe for your next dinner party or picnic! Chewy, tender orzo combines with spinach, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes, all tossed in a medley of seasonings and olive oil. It’s so easy to throw together with my special trick, and loaded with tons of flavor. Plus, easily make it gluten-free or grain-free to accommodate more dietary needs.
I absolutely love Mediterranean cuisine – these dishes tend to be exceptionally flavorful and healthy! I’ve crafted many wholesome Mediterranean recipes highlighting ingredients like falafel, lentils, fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts. So it only made sense to also share my favorite, hearty salad with you all!
Now, is orzo part of the Mediterranean diet?! It sure is! Orzo is very popular for Mediterranean recipes, especially in soups and salads. Each orzo salad recipe varies but most contain a variety of veggies, olives, and a zesty dressing, and can be enjoyed either hot or cold.
This salad is perfect for a main meal since it’s filled with veggies and protein, but I personally love to use it as a healthy side dish to have on hand all week long. Keep reading to learn about my favorite pairings and serving suggestions!
And if you’re looking for more comforting, plant-based salads, be sure to also check out my easy vegan macaroni salad!
👩🏽🍳 Why I Love This Recipe
My Mediterranean chickpea and orzo salad comes together with just 5 minutes of active prep time. Instead of taking the time to cook down the veggies and mix them in, I have an amazing hack to save time!
I place them in the bottom of the strainer, and pour the cooked orzo and water over top. By covering with the pot lid, the vegetables get perfectly steamed with minimal effort and easy clean up!
My salad is made with the best mixture of ingredients, to provide a balance of saltiness, sweetness and tanginess! Plus, you get a variation of texture to keep things interesting.
And since it stays fresh for up to 5 days, it makes for the best make-ahead dish ever! If you’ve been looking for a new meal prep idea, give this vegan Italian orzo salad a try.
And what I love most about my orzo salad with veggies is that it is so versatile and customizable! I am able to keep the integrity of the Mediterranean flavors while also easily adjusting to satisfy not only vegans, but those with gluten sensitivities or oil-free diets. See my tips below on how to do this!
🥘 Ingredients
I wanted this plant based orzo salad to be as healthy as possible, so I used fresh, whole foods loaded with flavor and nutrients. Here are the simple ingredients you’ll need to gather:
Vegetables: My vegan orzo pasta salad calls for spinach and mushrooms as the key veggies! Spinach adds a nice pop of green and mushrooms complement the texture of the orzo perfectly with their chewy soft consistency.
Sun Dried Tomatoes: Sun dried tomatoes are easy to use and super convenient, adding a slightly sweet and tangy flavor. If you want you can use jarred instead – looked for ones stored in water if you need the recipe to be oil-free.
Orzo: The star ingredient, orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta that is chewy, tender, hearty, and absolutely delicious!
Chickpeas: I love to add in chickpeas for some healthy protein and variety in texture.
Olive Oil: I use olive oil as the dressing for this salad, giving a good mix to evenly coat the ingredients with the oil and seasonings. For an oil-free option, you could use veggie broth.
Fresh Herbs And Spices: Fresh sliced basil adds the most amazing, refreshing taste to my vegan Mediterranean orzo salad! I also use a simple mix of garlic powder, lemon pepper, and dried thyme. These seasonings complement all the other flavors, without being overpowering.
Vegan Feta Cheese: Use your favorite vegan feta for the final touch of tangy, salty flavor. I like to use the Follow Your Heart brand or make my own.
🔪 How To Make Vegan Orzo Salad
Follow along with my step by step directions to make the best vegan orzo salad recipe ever! It is so easy to make this dish, no matter your skill level in the kitchen.
Prepare Veggies & Orzo: First, I place my spinach, basil, mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes in the bottom of my pasta strainer. Then, I cook the orzo according to package instructions.
Pour Cooked Orzo Over Veggies: When ready to drain, I pour the whole pot of orzo with the water over the veggies in the bottom of the pasta strainer. This will slightly cook them.
Steam Veggies: Now, I put the pot top over the strainer to steam the veggies. I let this sit for 3-5 minutes.
Rinse: Next, I rinse the mixture with hot water to remove starchiness from the pasta. Then, I ensure it drains well and place everything in a large bowl or back in the pot.
Add Remaining Ingredients: Finally, I add the chickpeas, oil, additional basil, seasonings, and feta into the bowl/pot and toss until well combined. Serve & enjoy!
💭 Expert Tips
My #1 Secret Tip for this recipe is to not overcook the orzo or it will lose its texture!
Follow the directions carefully when cooking the orzo, as this is the main ingredient of the dish. Monitor it closely as it cooks, as feel free to remove a piece or two to test for doneness. I typically will start testing it about 2-3 minutes before the package directions say it’s done, to make sure I don’t overcook it.
I am to cook it to an al-dente texture so that it still has a bit of a bite to it and isn’t overly soft or mushy.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Measure Correctly: When measuring the spinach and basil, make sure to pack it down instead of leaving it loose, as that will give you the most accurate portions to what I used!
- Softer Sun Dried Tomatoes: Depending on the brand you use, sun dried tomatoes can be hard and chewy. To soften them up, I soak them in hot water for 5-10 minutes.
- Add Salt To Taste: Due to the sun dried tomatoes and feta or parmesan, you won’t need added salt. However feel free to add some if you prefer.
- Extra Flavor: Use more garlic powder, lemon pepper and thyme to make it as flavorful as you prefer. I included my preferred measurements, but feel free to customize to your liking.
- Use Veggie Broth: Sometimes I use vegetable broth instead of water when cooking my orzo! This will add even more flavor to the dish. Alternatively, you can salt the water.
- To Serve Cold: Allow the Mediterranean orzo pasta salad to cool and then place in the refrigerator to chill for a few hours, or overnight.
📖 Variations
My dairy free orzo salad tastes great as is, but you can add extra flavor, nutrients, or protein by mixing in any of the following:
Other Veggies: Switch things up with new flavors and textures by adding in different vegetables. Sometimes I’ll use other greens like arugula or chopped kale, and I also like to rotate through a variety of veggies like peas, Persian cucumbers, carrots, cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives, roasted red bell peppers, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, and broccoli whenever I make this vegan Greek orzo salad!
More Protein: To make this a more well-rounded meal, I love adding in lentils, hemp seeds, crispy air fryer tempeh, tofu, sliced almonds, or sunflower seeds.
Garnishes: If you want to add other flavor or create a beautiful presentation, try a variety of garnishes. I like to use fresh lemon slices, lemon zest, pine nuts, parsley, red pepper flakes for a little heat, or sunflower seeds.
Gluten-Free & Grain-Free: Making this a gluten-free vegetarian orzo salad is so easy! When I need to accommodate friends and family on gluten-free diets I swap the regular orzo for a gluten-free orzo. I like the Jovial grain free cassava orzo!
🍽 Serving Suggestions
I often eat this veggie orzo salad as a meal on its own, but it’s also great as a side dish! It is a fun addition to any weeknight dinner, summer picnic, or bbq. Pair it with any of these plant based recipes if you’re looking for something more hearty and balanced:
- Kale And Caramelized Onion Panini
- Vegan Tempeh Gyros
- Vegan Chickpea Noodle Soup
- Lentil Falafel Burger
- Hemp Burgers
- Vegan Shawarma
- Tofu Skewers
- Greek Lentil Soup
- Instant Pot Lentils With Tahini
- Grilled Cheese Pita Sandwich
🫙 Storage Instructions
Fridge: I place leftovers in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 3-5 days. I do not recommend freezing this orzo salad, as the texture of the veggies will change.
Reheating: To serve it warm I simply heat it up in a skillet with a little oil or broth, or pop it in the microwave. You don’t need to serve it warm though, as it tastes great cold too!
❓Recipe FAQs
How much orzo should I cook per person?
As a general rule of thumb I always cook ¼ cup of dried orzo per person. However, when adding in the extra mix-ins this salad will be extra filling and satisfying!
Why are my vegetables so mushy?
I love the hack of steaming everything in the strainer, using the boiling water from the cooked orzo! However, it is very important to not over-steam the vegetables. I have found that 3-5 minutes is the perfect range to achieve that cooked texture we are going for in this dish. Mushrooms and spinach are more delicate, so cooking or steaming them for too long will result in an overly mushy texture that is less desirable.
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📋 Recipe Card
Vegan Orzo Salad
My vegan orzo salad is a 20 minute recipe you won't want to miss!! It's easy to throw together with my special trick, and doesn't skimp on flavor. Ready in minutes, and easy to customize too!
Servings: 12
Calories: 215kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh spinach , sliced
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms , about 12-13 mushrooms (I use crimini)
- ¼ cup chopped or sliced sun dried tomatoes , I use the dried ones in a bag
- 16 oz package orzo , gluten-free if needed
- 1½ cups chickpeas , about one 15 ounce can
- 1 drizzle olive oil , or broth if oil free
- 1 cup fresh basil , sliced
- 2-3 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2-3 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2-3 teaspoons lemon pepper , can sub black pepper but reduce to 1 teaspoon so it isn't as strong
- ½ cup vegan feta , or parmesan
Instructions
- Place spinach, basil, mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes in the bottom of a pasta strainer.
- Cook the orzo according to package directions.
- When ready to drain, pour the whole pot of orzo with the water over the veggies in the bottom of the pasta strainer. This will slightly cook them.
- Put the pot top over the strainer to steam the veggies. Allow to sit for 3-5 minutes.
- Rinse with hot water to remove starchiness from the pasta then drain well and place everything in a big bowl or back in the pot.
- Add the chickpeas, oil, basil, seasonings, and feta into the bowl/pot and mix until well combined.
- Serve!
Notes
- I measure the spinach and basil packed in.
- You can use sundried tomatoes in a jar just make sure they are packed in water if you want to keep this oil free. Also, if you want soft sundried tomatoes, you can soften them by soaking them in hot water for about 5 or so minutes.
- Due to the sun dried tomatoes and Feta or Parmesan, you won’t need added salt. However feel free to add some if you prefer.
- Adjust the garlic powder, lemon pepper and thyme to make it as flavorful as you prefer.
Nutrition
Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 319mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g
My toddler requests orzo all the time, so I am always looking for more ways to cook with it. This recipe was perfect! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
That’s great to hear, thanks Cathleen!
Loving this orzo salad. Served it with grilled chicken and it was a hit.
Thank you so much Paula!
This was a hit! Loved the flavors and textures here. Just a beautiful summer salad.
Yay! Thanks Dana!
Great orzo salad recipe! The sun dried tomatoes really make a difference in this salad! Delicious!
Awesome! So happy you liked it!