Garden Herb Orzo Salad
Fresh, vibrant, and loaded with Mediterranean-inspired flavour, this garden herb orzo salad is packed with crisp vegetables, creamy feta, fresh herbs, and a tangy maple red wine vinaigrette. Perfect for warm evenings, meal prep, picnics, or entertaining — it's light, refreshing, and full of texture in every bite.
Prep time
15 min
Cook time
10 min
Serves
Ingredients
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For the Salad
- 1¼ cupsorzo pasta (approximately 8 oz), cooked al dente
- ½long English cucumber, diced
- ½ cupfeta cheese, crumbled
- 1 cupcherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ smallred onion, diced (about ⅓ cup)
- 1 (15 oz) cangarbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
- ⅓ cupchopped sun-dried tomatoes
- ½ cupfresh basil leaves, chopped
- ¼ cupfresh mint leaves, chopped
- ¼ cupfresh parsley, chopped
Maple Red Wine Vinaigrette
- ⅔ cupextra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cupred wine vinegar
- 1–2 tbspmaple syrup
- 1 tspDijon mustard
- ½ tspdried oregano
- to tastesalt and freshly cracked black pepper
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1¼ cupsorzo pasta (approximately 8 oz), cooked al dente
- ½long English cucumber, diced
- ½ cupfeta cheese, crumbled
- 1 cupcherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ smallred onion, diced (about ⅓ cup)
- 1 (15 oz) cangarbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
- ⅓ cupchopped sun-dried tomatoes
- ½ cupfresh basil leaves, chopped
- ¼ cupfresh mint leaves, chopped
- ¼ cupfresh parsley, chopped
Maple Red Wine Vinaigrette
- ⅔ cupextra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cupred wine vinegar
- 1–2 tbspmaple syrup
- 1 tspDijon mustard
- ½ tspdried oregano
- to tastesalt and freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
Instructions
- 1
Cook the orzo according to package directions until al dente. Be careful not to overcook.
- 2
Drain the orzo and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Toss with a small drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking and allow it to cool completely.
- 3
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cucumber, feta, cherry tomatoes, red onion, garbanzo beans, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- 4
In a jar or small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- 5
Add the cooled orzo to the vegetable mixture. Pour in half of the dressing and gently toss to combine.
- 6
Add the basil, mint, and parsley, then toss gently again until evenly distributed.
- 7
Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Add additional dressing before serving as needed.
Melissa's Notes
If not serving immediately, reserve about ½ cup of the dressing — the orzo will absorb the vinaigrette while chilling. Add the reserved dressing before serving to refresh the salad.
Feel free to swap the veggies to your liking — not a fan of sun-dried tomatoes? Leave them out! This salad is very flexible.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days.
Pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, salmon, prawns, or warm pita bread.
Nutrition Information
Per serving
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the ingredients and brands used.
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