Dairy-Free Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad

Bright, fresh, and bursting with flavor, this Dairy-Free Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad is the ultimate side dish or light main course for any occasion. Featuring tender orzo pasta tossed with crisp cucumber, juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy bell pepper, briny Kalamata olives, and hearty chickpeas, this salad is as satisfying as it is colorful. A zesty homemade dressing of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and red wine vinegar ties everything together while staying completely dairy-free. Perfect for meal prep, summer gatherings, or a quick lunch, this recipe offers wholesome Mediterranean-inspired ingredients with minimal effort. Ready in just 25 minutes, it’s served best chilled or at room temperature, making it a versatile and crowd-pleasing dish!

Nutriscore Rating: 81/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:25 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups orzo pasta
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium cucumber
• 0.5 medium red onion
• 0.5 cup Kalamata olives
• 1 medium bell pepper
• 0.5 cup fresh parsley
• 1 can chickpeas
• 0.25 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 0.25 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

Step 2

While the orzo is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, slice the red onion thinly, chop the bell pepper into small pieces, and slice the Kalamata olives. Roughly chop the fresh parsley.

Step 3

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked orzo, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, Kalamata olives, parsley, and drained chickpeas.

Step 4

For the dressing, mince the garlic cloves and in a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.

Step 5

Pour the dressing over the orzo and vegetables. Toss everything together until well combined and all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.

Step 6

Cover the pasta salad and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

Step 7

Serve chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy your delicious dairy-free Mediterranean orzo pasta salad!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1536.6g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2659.9

Total Fat 103.0g	0%
Saturated Fat 13.0g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 2671.5mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 375.9g	0%
Dietary Fiber 61.8g	0%
Total Sugars 39.6g
Protein 78.9g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 511.7mg	0%
Iron 29.8mg	0%
Potassium 2504.0mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 33.8%

Protein: 11.5%

Carbs: 54.8%