Chickpea Orzo Salad
This Chickpea Orzo Salad is a nutritious, delicious, and easy-to-make salad that’s perfect for lunch, dinner, or even meal prep. Packed with protein-rich chickpeas, hearty orzo, crisp veggies, and a tangy homemade dressing, this dish is sure to become a favorite in your kitchen.
Ingredients
Salad base:
- 1 can (1½ cup) chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 cup orzo pasta cooked according to package instructions
- ½ red onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup black olives sliced
- 1 cup lettuce chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 avocado diced
Dressing:
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook the orzo. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo according to the package instructions (usually 6-8 minutes). Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent sticking.
- Prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, maple syrup, minced garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine chickpeas, cooked orzo, red onion, black olives, lettuce, parsley, and avocado. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine, ensuring that every ingredient is well coated with the dressing.
- Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy immediately, or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld together. This salad tastes even better after sitting for a bit!