Praise the Pasta Gods I found gluten free orzo pasta!!! I have been on the lookout for a lifetime and finally caught sight of the little bag of rice shaped goodness last week. Without skipping a beat I went home and immediately pulled up the recipe for this orzo salad because it keeps taunting me from my recipe board on Pinterest (follow me HERE!). This pasta salad is bright and fresh thanks to the lemon and dill combination and makes me think of Spring without needing all the Spring veggies that are slowly starting to make their way into season. Wonderful on it’s own for a vegetarian friendly meal or add in some rotisserie chicken for an extra kick of protein. It’s also worth mentioning how great this salad would be for the next potluck, wedding/baby shower or dinner party you are attending as it it best served at room temp. Enjoy!

Orzo Salad, recipe courtesy of Two Peas and their Pod

I doubled the recipe below so I had plenty to eat for lunches throughout the week and it kept perfectly in the fridge.

1 cup uncooked orzo (I use gluten free but use whatever you prefer)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup diced red onion

For the Dressing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Cook orzo pasta according to package directions. Drain the orzo and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and to wash away some of the starches. Allow the pasta to cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine orzo, chickpeas, cucumbers, feta, dill, and red onion.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper. Drizzle over salad and stir until ingredients are well coated. Dish it up!