An easy Orzo and Garbanzo Bean Salad that you can make in under 30 minutes! Each mouthful is filled with so much flavor, with Castelvetrano olives, red onion, and a delicious garlic vinaigrette.
Play bean salads on repeat all summer and try our Summer Farro Salad with Cannellini Beans or Kale and Cannellini Bean Salad!
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Why You'll Like This Recipe
- Ready in under 30 minutes
- Store it in the fridge for side dishes all week
- You probably have all the ingredients in your pantry!
You're going to love this delicious orzo and garbanzo bean salad! The bean salad has so much flavor and the orzo sucks up so much flavor from the ingredients and dressing! I love combo of grape tomatoes with basil and red onion.
Garbanzo beans have so much flavor in their own right. I love them with feta in Chickpea Cucumber Feta Salad, which is just as flavorful as this one. They're the perfect texture to combine with soft mix-ins like artichoke hearts and olives.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Garbanzo Beans. I love garbanzo beans in this salad because they give a little bit of a crunch factor in contrast to the orzo. You could substitute cannellini beans.
- Olives. I love to use Castelvetrano olives in this salad because they have so much flavor. You could substitute any olive, such as kalamata or Spanish olives.
- Artichokes. I prefer to use artichokes in water in this salad. The marinated ones have their own flavor and seasonings, and I'll use those in my artichoke pesto for Artichoke Pesto Pasta. You could use either, but I like to season everything in this orzo and garbanzo bean salad the same.
- Dressing. I like to use a simple vinaigrette, but if you want something with a bit more flavor, try our Lemon Basil Vinaigrette!
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.
How to Make Orzo and Garbanzo Bean Salad
Step 1: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the orzo and boil until al dente. Save a ¼ cup of pasta water.
Step 2: Drain the pasta and add it to a small bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix well. Let the pasta cool until slightly warmer than room temperature.
Step 3: In a small bowl or a mason jar, combine and whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Step 4: In a large bowl, combine garbanzo beans, orzo, basil, dressing, and pasta water.
Step 5: Add in the red onion, olives, artichokes, and grape tomatoes.
Step 6: Combine the ingredients and serve. Or cover and refrigerate overnight. Add a tablespoon of olive oil when serving, if storing overnight.
Pro-Tips
- Combine the cooked orzo with olive oil to make sure it doesn't stick together while it's cooking.
- Mix the pasta water in with the salad to make the vinaigrette and mixture slightly creamier.
- Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with extra olive oil right before serving for the freshest flavor.
- Serve fresh or when marinated in the refrigerator overnight.
Recipe FAQs
I love a simple vinaigrette with red wine vinegar or something more flavorful like lemon basil vinaigrette. You can also make it creamy with a pistachio pesto.
You can add feta, gorgonzola, roasted red peppers, or anything else that you would put on a sandwich or in a salad.
Serving Suggestions
I suggest preparing this a day in advance of serving or to meal prep for meals throughout the week. You can also serve it with some of the recipes below.
- This is the perfect side dish for any grilled chicken dish, like Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs or Chicken Spiedini.
- It's also great with pork dishes like Italian Sausage and Peppers, Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops, or Cast Iron Boneless Pork Chops.
- It's great to serve as a sandwich and a salad! Serve it alongside a Gorgonzola Grilled Chicken Burger, Eggplant Caprese Grilled Cheese, or Bacon Blue Cheese Burger.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
Please leave a comment and star rating below in the recipe card! I love to hear what you think of our recipes. Feel free to tag us on Instagram @vindelgiudice.
📖 Recipe
Orzo and Garbanzo Bean Salad
Equipment
- 1 2 qt pot
- 1 large bowl
- 2 small bowls
Ingredients
- 2 14 oz can garbanzo beans
- ½ cup orzo
- ½ cup grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup castelvetrano olives
- ½ cup artichoke hearts in water
- ¼ red onion, sliced thin
- 1 handful basil, julliened
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the orzo and boil until al dente. Save a ¼ cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and add to a small bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix well. Let the pasta cool until slightly warmer than room temperature.
- In a small bowl, combine and whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- In a large bowl, combine garbanzo beans, orzo, basil, dressing, and pasta water, while the orzo is cooled but still warm.
- Add in the red onion, olives, artichokes, and grape tomatoes. Stir well and serve.
Notes
- Combine the cooked orzo with olive oil to make sure it doesn't stick together while it's cooking.
- Mix the pasta water in with the salad to make the vinaigrette and mixture slightly creamier.
- Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with extra olive oil right before serving for the freshest flavor.
- This dish is delicious served fresh or when marinated in the refrigerator overnight.
Vinny
A delicious summer side salad I love to serve with my main proteins. It's a great and easy meal prep for the week!