Arugula Orzo Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato
Arugula Orzo Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato is a beautifully colorful pasta salad that works in all seasons! A flavorful side-dish or a healthy protein lunch addition, this orzo salad has delicious Mediterranean flavors with lots of fresh veggies, feta cheese, and a quick garlicky homemade vinaigrette. Great to meal prep and ready in just 20 minutes!
Servings: 6
Calories: 234kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup orzo pasta (uncooked)
- 1 cup arugula
- ½ cup red bell pepper sliced
- ½ cup cucumber sliced
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes sliced with oils
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
- ½ cup chickpeas drained and rinsed (optional)
For the Dressing
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 grinds fresh black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard (regular or whole grain)
- 3 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Cook orzo pasta in boiling salted water for about 8 minutes (follow package instructions). Drain and cool the pasta by running it under cold water or setting in the fridge.
- Add all ingredients for the dressing to a jar with a lid and shake well to emulsify.
- Slice peppers, cucumber and sun-dried tomatoes.
- In a mixing bowl, add the orzo and all other ingredients with a bit of dressing . You can save a bit of each ingredient (like the pepper, cucumber and feta) to arrange over the top. Mix well.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, add the extra colorful ingredients over the top and another drizzle of dressing if needed. Serve or refrigerate.
Notes
- Dressing - You won't need all the dressing, extra can be refrigerated for a month and used on any salad.
- Chickpeas- are optional but add protein. You can add more or less, or leave them out.
- Additions and Substitutions - The veggies in this salad are optional and interchangeable. Good additions or swaps could be cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, artichokes, spinach, avocado, or fresh herbs such as parsley, oregano or basil.
Nutrition
Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 351mg | Potassium: 340mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 583IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 2mg