Last week was my husband’s 30th birthday and to celebrate we had a big barbecue yesterday. I took the opportunity to try out a few new recipes and then also whipped up some of my go-to recipes, including my favorite Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip (recipe here!). I remembered seeing an orzo salad with lemon and dill on Pinterest a while back and tried out my own recipe, which ended up being a hit and was even pretty healthy for a pasta salad. We discovered that it’s even better the second day, so make plenty for leftovers!
Ingredients:
For the orzo salad:
- 1 pound uncooked orzo
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion (more if you like red onion like I do!)
For the dressing:
- 1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Cook orzo as directed on package.
- Combine Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl or measuring cup to create the dressing.
- In a large mixing bowl, add chickpeas, cucumber, onions and feta to the orzo.
- Pour dressing over the orzo salad, mix together.
- Add additional salt and pepper to taste, along with parsley.
- Mix together again and enjoy!
What are your favorite summer pasta salad recipes? Let us know in the comments below!