Greek Orzo and Chickpea Salad

Hearty orzo pasta combined with protein-packed chickpeas, crunchy bell peppers, tangy feta, and a bright lemon-dill dressing.

• Prep: 10 min
• Cook: 9 min
• Total: 19 min
• Servings: 3
• Cuisine: Greek
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $3.07/serving

Dietary

• Vegetarian
• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• Pescatarian
• High-Fiber
• Low-Sugar
• Low-Cholesterol

Tags

• quick
• healthy
• fresh
• boil
• crowd-pleaser
• tangy

Ingredients

• 6 ounce orzo pasta (dry)
• 1 can chickpeas (15 oz can, rinsed, drained)
• 1 red bell pepper (medium, diced)
• 1 cup English cucumber (diced)
• 0.25 cup Kalamata olives (pitted, sliced)
• 3 ounce feta cheese (crumbled)
• 2 tablespoon fresh dill (finely chopped)
• 3 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper (ground)

Instructions

1. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo pasta and cook for 8 to 9 minutes until al dente. Drain well and rinse under cold water to cool.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.
3. Add the cooled orzo pasta, chickpeas, red bell pepper, English cucumber, Kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, and fresh dill to the bowl with the dressing.
4. Toss all ingredients together gently until evenly combined. Portion into three storage containers for packable lunches.

Notes

Orzo absorbs vinaigrette as it sits in the fridge, making leftovers even more flavorful on day two.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 575
• Protein: 18.4 g
• Carbohydrates: 72.3 g
• Fat: 25.4 g
• Fiber: 10.9 g
• Sodium: 1431 mg
• Saturated Fat: 5.6 g
• Sugar: 7.7 g
• Cholesterol: 18 mg