🍋 Lemon Orzo Salad with Cucumbers, Tomatoes & Red Peppers
Bright, fresh, and plant-based — sunshine in a bowl.
This is the kind of salad you make once and keep craving all week. It’s everything good about summer in one bowl: juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, sweet red peppers, and tender orzo—all tossed with creamy chickpeas and a lemony vinaigrette that keeps it light and zingy. The chickpeas give it staying power, turning a side dish into a satisfying lunch or picnic main. Naturally vegan, easy to make, and always a crowd-pleaser.
🥗 Ingredients:
For the Salad:
1 cup dry orzo (I use this brown rice orzo for gluten-free)
1 cup cucumber, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, diced
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped (optional)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Optional: ¼ cup vegan feta or chopped fresh basil
For the Lemon Vinaigrette:
3 tbsp olive oil (I use Graza sizzle olive oil)
2 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste
👩🍳 Instructions:
Cook the orzo according to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cool water, and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine orzo, cucumber, tomatoes, red pepper, chickpeas, onion, and herbs.
Whisk vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl or shake in a jar.
Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
Chill before serving, or enjoy immediately at room temp. This gets even better after a few hours in the fridge.
✨ Optional Add-Ins:
Vegan feta (I use this one)
Chopped kalamata olives
Toasted pine nuts for crunch
This Lemon Orzo Salad is one of those recipes that quietly becomes a staple—easy enough for busy weekdays, but pretty enough for any gathering. With bright citrus, crisp veggies, and satisfying chickpeas, it’s a feel-good dish you’ll reach for again and again. I hope it brings a little sunshine to your table, no matter the season.
Let me know if you make it — I’d love to hear how you serve it or what you add! 💛
Tag @kellysgreenkitchen_ so I can see your beautiful bowls!
