This salad has a lot of ingredients, but it’s mostly just cutting up something or opening a can or jar. It can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold. Because the salad has both garbanzo beans and pasta, it makes a good choice as a main dish for a plant-based meal.
If you want to make this the main dish for a plant-based meal, consider these options keeping with a mediterranean theme:
- Bruschetta
- Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Chimichurri Sauce
- Spring Vegetable Panzanella – omit the Parmesan cheese or serve it on the side
- Sicilian Orange Salad
- Tiramisu Roulade
If you’re looking for a grain-based side dish, but this one isn’t quite it, consider:
- Black Rice and Mango Salad – Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan
- Corn Maque Choux – Gluten-free, Vegetarian
- Couscous with Asparagus and Peas – Vegetarian (Dairy-free and Vegan if you serve the Parmesan on the side)
- Farro Salad with Mushrooms and Thyme – Dairy-free, Vegan
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad – Gluten-Free, Vegetarian (Dairy-free and Vegan if you serve the Feta on the side)
- Pilaf with Currants and Pine Nuts – Dairy-Free, Vegan
- White Bean Salad – Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Vegan
- Wild Rice Stuffed Peppers – Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Vegan
Tuscan Orzo Vegetable Salad
Lovely summer salad with myriad flavors that meld beautifully!
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup orzo
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes cut in half
- ½ medium red onion thinly sliced
- 12 ounce marinated artichoke hearts drained
- 15 ounce chickpeas drained
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil cut into thin strips
- 2 Tablespoons fresh chives chopped
- 1 Tablespoon capers
Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley chopped fine
- ½ teaspoon salt more or less
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook orzo according to package, drain, rinse, set aside.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, thinly slice the red onion, finely chop the chives, and cut the basil into long thin strips. Strain the artichoke hearts from the liquid they are sitting in and set aside. Lastly, strain and rinse the canned chickpeas and pat them dry.
- For the vinaigrette, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, parsley, salt, and black pepper to a medium bowl and whisk together.
- Add the tomato halves, red onion, chives, basil, marinated artichoke hearts, chickpeas, capers, to the vinaigrette bowl. Mix together until all the veggies are coated. Add in the orzo and mix well.
- Serve immediately or chill for 1-2 hours for an even better flavor!
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 274kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 8gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 344mgPotassium: 295mgFiber: 6gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 716IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!