First, it uses orzo, which is a very underrated but very tasty pasta. Two, it features lemons in three different ways: lemon juice, lemon zest, and preserved lemons (optional but delicious and recommended). Three, it practically screams summer! with its fresh lemon and basil flavors. Finally, it’s packed with incredible gourmet flavors and wonderful textures but is quite simple to make. It’s the kind of pasta salad that will get you excited, impress your summer guests, and keep you coming back for another bowl! PS: If orzo isn’t your jam, then consider this unreal Vegan Pasta Salad made with a romesco-inspired sauce or this 30-minute tahini pasta.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Perfect for summer entertaining. The best kinds of dishes to serve your guests are those that are impressive but secretly easy to make. This orzo pasta salad fits the bill – it feels and tastes fancy but is surprisingly easy to make. Versatile. Serve this orzo warm or at room temperature and/or serve leftovers cold for a more traditional “pasta salad.” Light but satisfying. Thanks to chickpeas and pine nuts, this dish feels a bit heartier than your standard pasta salad but is still light enough for summer dining. Great for lunch, a light dinner, or as a side dish.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Gather your ingredients.
Actually Good Quinoa Salad: Quinoa has never been this exciting (or crispy!). Really Good Vegan Broccoli Salad: Broccoli salad gets a major makeover with a sweet-and-spicy dressing, toasty breadcrumbs, shaved fennel, and toasted nuts. SO good! Vegan Potato Salad: Just as creamy as classic potato salad but so much better for you and more flavorful! Grilled Corn Salad: 10 ingredients and less than 30 minutes, it’s packed with summer corn flavor and a little heat.
Rinse, drain and thoroughly dry the chickpeas. Heat a tiny bit of oil in a large frying pan and pan-fry the chickpeas. Cook undisturbed for a few minutes before tossing, and continue cooking until blistered in some spots. Add the oregano, thyme, onion powder, paprika, and salt. Toss the chickpeas in the spices and cook for 2-4 minutes until nicely golden brown and aromatic. Chop the basil and mix together with lemon zest, 1 clove of grated garlic, and flaky salt. In a large sauté or frying pan, add the olive oil, sliced garlic, and pine nuts (sorry, the pine nuts are missing in this shot!). Turn the heat to medium-low. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently once they start sizzling to prevent burning. Add the chopped preserved lemon (if using) and Aleppo pepper (or crushed red pepper). Cook for 1 minute, stirring almost constantly. Add about 1/4 cup of the hot pasta water from the cooked orzo to the pan and whisk to combine. Add in the hot cooked orzo, lemon juice, and sundried tomatoes, tossing to combine. Add more pasta water as needed to bring the sauce together. Add in the chopped baby spinach and toss until wilted. Add the spiced chickpeas and toss again. Finally, add in the basil-lemon zest topping and gently toss. Season to taste with salt or pepper as needed.
Tips for making this recipe
Preserved Lemons
If using homemade preserved lemons, you’ll need a few weeks of advance planning (because preserved lemons take about 3 weeks to ferment). I have a detailed post on how to make preserved lemons and how to use them :) In this recipe, they add a bold lemon flavor and a background note of umami that takes this pasta salad over the top. Obviously, if you already have some preserved lemons in your fridge, you’re ready to go. You can buy preserved lemons at well-stocked grocery stores (you can try Whole Foods, Ralph’s, and even Walmart), Middle Eastern grocery stores, specialty stores like Sur La Table, or online (affiliate link). While I love the preserved lemons in this recipe, you can also omit them. See more in the “Substitutes” section below.
Other tips
When frying the garlic and pine nuts in olive oil, start with a cold pan. This helps cook everything evenly and prevents the garlic from browning too fast. Once they start to sizzle, start stirring frequently so nothing browns too much.
Don’t cook your orzo in advance and let it hang out in the colander, as it has a tendency to clump up into one big pile.
Be sure to to add the cooked orzo to the sauce while still hot. Dressing the orzo in the lemon-olive oil sauce while still warm helps it to absorb every nugget of flavor!
For the most flavorful results, use sundried tomatoes packed in oil, not dry-packed tomatoes (the latter are not nearly as flavorful and are dryer/tougher).
Substitutes / Variations
Don’t have access to preserved lemons? Replace it with 1 tablespoon of lemon zest (about the amount in a medium lemon).
Can’t find orzo? Use a short pasta shape like orecchiette.
Not a fan of baby spinach? You can substitute thinly shredded kale or chopped baby kale. It will take a little longer to wilt than spinach and won’t have that same silky texture though. I don’t recommend a bitter green like arugula (I tried it, it powered the dish).
While I think basil is fabulous in this orzo pasta salad, it would also be very tasty with half basil and half parsley, or a little bit of fresh dill thrown in.
Want to add more veggies? Here are some ideas, but don’t go too heavy on the raw veggies because they won’t have enough dressing to get coated.
Blanched broccoli florets, asparagus, or green beans (keep the florets and/or pieces small since orzo is small) Grilled or roasted zucchini, summer squash, or eggplant Roasted red bell peppers (homemade or jarred). Shredded carrots Finely diced red/yellow/orange bell peppers or cucumbers Thinly shaved red onions
Other variations try try:
Double the amount of spiced chickpeas for more protein Toss in a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of hemp seeds for more protein Add in some vegan feta at the end for cheesy, salty vibes (I like Violife vegan feta and the Trader Joe’s brand)
If you try this summery Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad and love it, please be sure to rate and review it below!
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