Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus
This Lemon Orzo Salad is refreshing and bold in flavor thanks to the lemon zest, umami packed sun-dried tomatoes and seasoned chickpeas. A light spring salad that’s easy to meal prep ahead of time.
I’m starting to see the trees bud. We’re ready to bloom! And I’m here for these wonderful spots of spring. My produce box is also ready for spring because I started seeing asparagus pop up, which means it’s time for this bowl of sunshine lemon orzo salad. Refreshing, lemony and loaded with all the herby goodness.
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
- It’s light and loaded with seasonal asparagus
- Easy to make and customize to include other seasonal vegetables
- Includes a perfect lemony dressing that infuses into the orzo as it sits
- Budget-friendly and uses mostly common vegan pantry staples
- Completely vegan, nut-free and soy-free with options available to make it gluten-free as well
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Orzo: It may look like rice, but it’s actually pasta. If you are looking to make this dish gluten-free, you can use a gluten-free orzo, cooked Jasmine rice or quinoa.
- Asparagus: A great seasonal vegetable during the spring. It can be easy to substitute for broccoli or even chopped green beans.
- Lemon: For the best flavor, use fresh lemon. Both the juice and zest is needed.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This type of oil lends the right flavor to the salad, so I would advise not to swap it out if possible. If you are not a fan of oil, you can opt to make this like a tahini based dressing instead. Replace the oil with tahini and when mixing the dressing, thin it out with more water. Note, this will change the flavor of the salad and make it a creamy pasta dish instead.
- Chickpeas: To make this simple, use canned chickpeas. You can also make this with baked tofu, white beans or lentils based on preference.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: For more flavor, I recommend opting for seasoned jars of these sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil. It helps to add some extra flavor. If you decide to use sun-dried tomatoes without oil, just note they can be tougher to chew and not as flavorful.
- Tahini: Helps to provide some body to the dressing. If you wish to omit, replace with an extra tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
- Herbs: There is a combination of fresh and dry herbs in this dish to help compliment and enhance the flavors in this salad. The main herbs includes basil, parsley, thyme and oregano, but you can also infuse other flavors into this dish as desired.
How to Make Lemon Orzo Salad
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt the water and then add your orzo and allow your pasta to cook until al dente according to the package. Drain the pasta well and add it to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
In a separate large skillet, heat up your oil then add in the chopped asparagus and sauté until it starts to turn a bright green. Add in half of your minced garlic and sauté again until fragrant. Add in the chickpeas and continue to stir until the chickpeas warm through. Sprinkle in nutritional yeast and a little bit of lemon zest and continue to sauté, then add the mixture to the bowl with the orzo and set aside to prepare the remaining ingredients.
Stir your dressing ingredients together until well combined. Now, add your onion, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, parsley and the dressing to the bowl of orzo. Give everything a good toss to coat well. Adjust salt to taste and serve with extra grated lemon zest if desired.
Making This Dish Efficiently
To have this dish come together quickly, bring the water for the orzo to a boil as you sauté the asparagus. Once the water boils, add in the orzo and continue cooking the asparagus and chickpeas as instructed.
Expert Tips
- Just drain your pasta, do not rinse with cold water. This will allow the dressing to better coat the orzo and also absorb more into the pasta, making it more flavorful.
- Cook your orzo until al dente. If you overcook this pasta it will get gummy and stick together.
- This salad can be enjoyed both warm or cold. You can enjoy this salad freshly made or allow it to sit and marinade in the fridge longer and enjoy cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This salad is great the day after and perfect for meal prep. Place the salad in an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Yes. The combination of ingredients as a whole help to provide a great deal of balance. When cooked al dente, pasta is a low glycemic food. Pairing it further with the chickpeas, vegetables, herbs and healthy fats, makes this dish filling and loaded with fiber, protein, iron and other valuable vitamins and minerals.
Orzo is a type of pasta, so most common orzo products are made using semolina flour. This flour is different from other flours as it does provide 2 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein.
Yes. All you need to do is substitute the orzo with a gluten-free alternative. You can use a gluten-free orzo, cooked Jasmine rice or quinoa.
Salad Variations
There are a lot of ways you can change up this orzo salad. For some ideas, you can try:
- For More Veggies: Try stirring in some chopped spinach or sauté your asparagus with broccoli, green beans or kale.
- A Different Dressing: This salad works really well with this Tahini Pesto.
- For More Texture: Top with some additional nuts and/or seeds like crushed pistachios, toasted pepitas, almond slivers, or sunflower seeds.
- To Add More Protein: You can sprinkle in an extra 1/4 cup of hemp hearts to boost the protein a little higher without altering the taste of the salad.
More Spring Time Salad Ideas
- Dominican Bulgar Salad
- Roasted Potato Salad with BBQ Chickpeas
- Green Goddess Salad Sandwich
- Protein Packed Avocado Chickpea Salad
- Tahini Ranch Pasta Salad with Smoky Tempeh
Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Lemon Orzo Salad is refreshing and bold in flavor thanks to the lemon zest, umami packed sun-dried tomatoes and seasoned chickpeas. A light spring salad that’s easy to meal prep ahead of time.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 lb asparagus, woody stems removed and then cut into smaller pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed and divided
- 2, 15 oz cans chickpeas, rinsed, drained and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon zest, about 2 medium lemons
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast, divided
- 1 1/2 cups dry orzo
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 2 medium lemons
- 1/2 tsp dry thyme
- 1/2 tsp dry oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste as desired
- 1/4 medium onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in herbs and oil
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley or more to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt the water and then add your orzo and allow your pasta to cook until al dente according to the package. Drain the pasta well and add it to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a separate large skillet, heat up 1 tablespoon of oil, then add in the chopped asparagus and sauté until it starts to turn bright green, about 4 minutes.
- Add in half of your minced garlic and sauté again until fragrant. Pour in the chickpeas and continue to stir until the chickpeas warm through.
- Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast and 1/2 tablespoon of lemon zest and continue to sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes, then add the mixture to the bowl of orzo and set aside to prepare the remaining ingredients.
- To a small jar or bowl, add in your remaining 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 3 tablespoons oil and 2 crushed garlic cloves, tahini, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, thyme, oregano, and salt and stir well to combine.
- To your bowl of orzo, add your onion, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, parsley and top with the dressing. Give everything a good toss to coat. Adjust salt to taste and serve with extra grated lemon zest if desired.
Notes
Just drain your pasta, do not rinse with cold water. This will allow the dressing to better coat the orzo and also absorb more into the pasta, making it more flavorful.
Cook your orzo until al dente. If you overcook this pasta it will get gummy and stick together.
This salad can be enjoyed both warm or cold. You can enjoy this salad freshly made or allow it to sit and marinade in the fridge longer and enjoy cold.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
★ Catherine
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I really enjoyed this! I opted for one can of chickpeas and added a small head of broccoli and used half a red onion. Thanks for the great recipe!
You are so so welcome Dawn! Thank you so much for making this. 🙂