Greek Artichoke Orzo Pasta Salad
Greek, artichokes
This Greek Orzo Pasta Salad is not your typical Greek Pasta salad - it combines the flavours of a Greek dish I love - Greek Artichoke stew (Aginares A La Polita) made with artichoke, green peas, green onions, fresh herbs and lemon juice. It is perfect for serving as a main dish or side dish, and easy to customize with your favorite add-ins. Artichoke and peas are fresh and fabulous together - we couple the two in this orzo salad along with more veggies and a tangy dressing for a great pasta salad you will be enjoying all season long!
Artichoke Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe Ingredients
- ORZO: Or any short pasta shape/ gluten-free orzo or regular is fine. Swap the orzo for a different pasta or even a grain (I’d use farro)
- GREEN PEAS: Use fresh or frozen green peas. No need to thaw them if they are frozen because they will cook with the orzo pasta
- ARTICHOKE: I use canned artichoke in water but you can definitely use jarred marinated artichoke too.
- RED ONION: I use either red onion or shallot - whatever I have on hand
- GREEN ONIONS: They add fresh flavor to the salad
- FRESH HERBS: I like to use fresh parsley and fresh dill for this recipe but you could swap them out for the fresh herbs you prefer
- CUCUMBER: I love the fresh crunch cucumbers add to the salad. I usually use English cucumber or mini Persian cucumbers
- FETA CHEESE: The flavor of tangy feta cheese really work well with this salad but if you are not a fan feel free to use Parmesan cheese in its place or crumbled goat cheese or even mini bocconcini.
- FOR THE DRESSING: I use a blend of extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, dried oregano, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup and salt and pepper. Adjust amounts to taste.
- ALTERNATE ADD INS: Feel free to add in more crunchy veggies like broccoli (blanch the pieces the same way as you blanch the peas) or celery or add some more colour by adding some sliced cherry tomatoes/grape tomatoes and corn and even some briny olives - green or Kalamata olives would be delicious in this salad. Add more protein by adding grilled chicken, shredded rotisserie chicken, grilled shrimp or grilled salmon - or toss in some chickpeas or white beans. I also like to add some extra crunch or texture by adding sliced almonds or pistachios. For extra greens I often through in some salad greens like arugula, mixed greens, baby kale or baby spinach.
How To Make This Greek Orzo Salad:
1.Cook Orzo: It couldn’t be easier. Simply start by cooking the orzo 2 mins short of package instructions or til al dente— since it’s small it takes no time to cook. Before it finishes cooking add in the peas and asparagus for a quick blanch. Then drain, rinse with cold water and then strain.
- Make Dressing: Whisk the dressing ingredients
- Toss in Veggies, Cheese & Herbs: Combine the orzo, peas and asparagus with the bell peppers, shallots and herbs. Drizzle with dressing and toss well to combine
How To Serve This Orzo Pasta Salad
- Straight from the bowl: The pasta and all of the vegetables make this salad plenty filling for a light meal.
- Atop fresh greens: If you want to add even more nutrition and veggie goodness, you could toss this pasta recipe with fresh greens, like arugula then add on a bit of extra dressing to create a satisfying green salad.
- As a side dish: I typically serve this as a side with grilled meats, burgers or sandwiches. Or toss in some grilled shrimp or grilled chopped chicken
Make Ahead & Storage Recommendations
- MAKE AHEAD: This is great to make several hours in advance of serving because it’s best when served chilled. You can even cook the orzo pasta along with the peas and asparagus - cook and dress and chill for up to a day ahead.
- STORAGE: Place leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Before serving again, give it a good stir, taste and season again as needed.
More Pasta Salads You Will Love:
Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pasta Salad
- 1½ cups dry orzo
- 1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
- Two 14-ounce can artichoke hearts in water, drained then quartered or roughly chopped
- 1 small red onion, peeled diced
- ½ diced cucumber
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 green onions, sliced
- ½ cup crumbled feta
For the Lemony Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- Zest of one lemon
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
Directions
- Cook the Orzo: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add in the tablespoon of salt. Add the orzo to the pot and cook for 5 to 7 minutes (or 2-3 minutes less than cooking time on package directions), then add the fresh peas and and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until both the orzo, and peas are tender. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool.
- Make the dressing: Add the oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon, honey, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper to a small mason jar. Seal the jar and shake vigorously until emulsified or whisk in a bowl; set aside.
- Assemble: Transfer the drained orzo, and peas to a large mixing bowl, then add in the artichokes, red onions, cucumber, fresh herbs, feta and green onions. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until well-combined. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
- Serve: Serve immediately, or place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and serve cold. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
Recipe Note
Would you like to roast your artichoke before adding it to the salad? If you do I would quarter the artichoke hearts not rough chop them to keep the pieces larger. Toss the quartered artichoke hearts with 2 tablespoons olive oil, a little kosher salt and black pepper and some seasonings like a pinch of garlic powder and dried oregano. Spread out the artichoke on a lined baking sheet and roast the artichoke in a preheated oven at 425°F for 15-20 minutes
