This fresh, vibrant Gluten-Free Vegan Orzo Pasta Salad recipe will become a staple in your kitchen! It's the perfect summer salad because it's light, customizable, made with real food ingredients and is ready in under 30 minutes!
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Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Gluten-Free Vegan Orzo Salad!
My top 3 favorite reasons:
- It's Naturally Gluten-Free + Vegan: using gluten-free orzo pasta, this healthy plant-based recipe is 100% gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan!
- Perfect for Meal Prep or as a Make-Ahead Meal: it tastes even better after being chilled, so this pasta salad is ideal for lunches, picnics, potlucks, or weekly meal prep!
- Made with Clean, Real Food Ingredients: made with fresh veggies and a homemade dressing, it's a vibrant, healthy plant-based meal!
Karielyn
Jump to RecipeThis dairy-free and gluten-free orzo pasta salad will be on rotation all summer long, especially when you have fresh veggies on hand!
It's quick and can be prepared in three simple steps. You can enjoy it right away, or chill it to serve later.
And, one of the best things about it is it is super versatile because you can mix and match your veggies and herbs, change up the dressing, or even add chickpeas for vegan protein.
You can feel good about making this recipe because it's plant-based, gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, soy-free, tofu-free, and does not contain any faux vegan "feta".
"Feel good about what you eat..."
- Karielyn Tillman
Ingredients
Here are the clean, real food ingredients I used to make this recipe. Try to buy organic if possible.
Key Ingredients
- Gluten-Free Orzo Pasta
- Arugula
- Fresh Vegetables: (Cucumbers, Cherry Tomatoes, Red Onions, Red Bell Peppers)
- Green Olives
- Kalamata Olives
- Simple Vinaigrette (Fresh Dill, Lemon Juice, Avocado Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, Dijon Mustard)
- Spices: (Ground Garlic, Ground Black Pepper, Himalayan Pink Salt)
That's it! My Vegan Mediterranean Orzo Salad is super easy to make!
Pro tip
Size of the Veggies
It's very important to cut the cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, red bell peppers into tiny cubed pieces so that the flavor of one of them does not overpower the other flavors.
How To Make Gluten-Free Vegan Orzo Pasta Salad
Step-By-Step Instructions
Here's how to make orzo salad and I'll show you how easy it is with these step-by-step instructions below.
- Before beginning, prep the veggies by cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, red bell peppers and olives into tiny, cubed pieces.
Step 1: Prepare the orzo pasta. Cook the gluten-free orzo with a few generous pinches of salt until al dente.
Step 2: Drain and rinse the orzo under cold water to stop cooking and prevent sticking.
Step 3: Chop the vegetables into tiny, cubed pieces, then add to a large mixing bowl with the arugula and olives, then set aside.
Step 4: Chop the fresh dill and add the remaining ingredients for the vinaigrette to a small bowl.
Step 5: Whisk together the lemon-dill vinaigrette.
Step 6: Add the vinaigrette to the large bowl with gently toss everything together until the vinaigrette is evenly distributed. Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes for best flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you've never heard of "orzo" or bought it before, it is a tiny pasta in the similar size and shape of rice.
In this recipe, it's combined with fresh vegetables, fresh arugula, tangy olives, and an easy homemade lemon-herb vinaigrette making it a much-loved meal in the summertime.
My Gluten-Free Vegan Orzo Pasta Salad has a little bit of a Mediterranean spin to it with the additions of two types of olives: green olives and Kalamata.
It's also considered a "cold" pasta salad because it's best after it's been chilled for at least 30 minutes before serving.
No, not at all! This recipe can be made with or without gluten-free pasta.
The cooking times may vary depending on which type of orzo you use but here are some options:
1. Organic Grain-Free (Gluten-Free) Cassava Orzo Pasta: This is 100% gluten-free and made in Italy using bronze dyes which means no plastic! Ingredients: Organic Cassava Flour, Water. Size: One box is 8-ounces. Cook Time: 8-9 minutes.
2. Organic Orzo Pasta: This is organic but not gluten-free but is also made in Italy using bronze dyes which means no plastic! Ingredients: Organic Durum Wheat Semolina. Size: One box is 16-ounces. Cook Time: 7-9 minutes.
Yes! In fact, if time allows it actually tastes better after a few hours in the refrigerator.
This makes it a perfect summer gluten-free pasta salad and is ideal for:
1. Picnics: easy to pack on-the-go because there are no ingredients that would go bad while it travels
2. Potlucks: it's a win-win for a group gathering because it's naturally gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, grain-free, and nut-free so it can be enjoyed by many and even those with allergies or food restrictions.
3. Meal Prep: you can make this plant-based orzo salad in under 30 minutes and enjoy it the rest of the week!
Please don't be intimidated by the ingredient list!
This recipe can be made in just 3 simple steps:
1. Cook the orzo: approximately 8-9 minutes.
2. Prep the veggies: approximately 10-15 minutes (prep while the orzo is cooking).
3. Make the dressing: approximately 5 minutes.
Including the cooling time for the orzo, the entire recipe can come together in approximately 30 minutes!
Traditional Mediterranean Orzo Pasta typically has feta cheese in it.
My version not only omits regular feta cheese but also vegan faux "feta cheese" because it is not "real food" and is highly processed.
Here is the ingredient list for a popular vegan faux "feta cheese":
Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Feta Crumbles Ingredients: Filtered Water, Coconut Oil, Modified Potato Starch, Potato Starch, Sea Salt, Less Than 2% of: Potato Protein, Natural Flavors, Organic Vegan Cane Sugar, Calcium Phosphate, Lactic Acid.
I found that using the two different types of olives, specifically the Kalamata olives, gives the recipe a tangy flavor that feta cheese would provide and works as a great substitute.
If you've made gluten-free orzo pasta before and it came out mushy, not to worry!
I'll show you how to prevent this from happening again.
1. Cook the orzo in water with a few generous pinches of salt until al dente, or about 8-10 minutes.
2. Drain the pasta.
3. Rinse the pasta in cold water.
Rinsing it in cold water will stop the pasta from cooking and prevent it from becoming sticky and mushy.
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Karielyn's Expert Tips
Here are my best tips to help you make the Best Gluten-Free Vegan Orzo Pasta Salad perfectly every time. These small adjustments can make a big difference in the flavor and texture.
Cooking Tips
- Rinse gluten-free orzo pasta well: this will remove starch and prevent it from becoming mushy.
- Salt the pasta water generously: gluten-free pasta needs it for flavor.
- Chill before serving: chilling will allow the flavors to meld together and absorb the dressing.
- Add delicate herbs last: if you add any fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, etc. as a garnish, add them last to keep them bright and fresh.
- Double the dressing: if you will be serving the dish the next day, you may need to make an extra batch of dressing since gluten-free pasta absorbs more liquid than regular pasta.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Orzo: Always salt your pasta water generously-it should taste like the sea! This is your only opportunity to season the pasta itself from the inside out. Use about 1-2 tablespoons of salt per pound of pasta for the best flavor.
- Veggies (Cucumbers, Cherry Tomatoes, Red Bell Peppers, Red Onion): Each of these ingredients can be substituted for whatever else you have on hand. For example, you could use cubed zucchini instead of cucumbers, grape tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes, orange or yellow bell peppers instead of red, and white onions or even shallots instead of red onions. Whatever variety of fresh veggies you use, just make sure to dice them into small pieces so the flavors don't overpower each other.
- Arugula: I like to use arugula because it is a light and airy salad green, but you could use any type of salad green such as chopped baby spinach, or leave it out all together.
- Olives: I used two different varieties of olives in this recipe, green olives and Kalamata olives to give the pasta salad a tangy flavor in lieu of feta cheese. If you don't have both varieties, you can use just one.
- Avocado Oil: This can be substituted with extra-virgin olive oil.
- Dill + Lemon Juice: To get the best flavor, use fresh chopped dill and freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you don't have either, you could also use dried dill and store-bought lemon juice.
- Himalayan Pink Salt: This is my salt of preference, however, feel free to use your favorite sea salt.
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Gluten-Free Vegan Orzo Pasta Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups organic arugula (packed)
For the veggie prep:
- 1 cup organic cucumber (diced small; approximately 1 medium)
- 1 cup organic cherry tomatoes (halved)
- ½ cup organic red bell pepper (diced small)
- ¼ cup organic red onion (diced small)
- ½ cup organic green olives (halved)
- ½ cup organic Kalamata olives (halved)
For the orzo:
- 8 ounces organic gluten-free cassava orzo pasta (uncooked)
For the salad seasonings:
- ¼ teaspoon organic ground garlic
- ½ teaspoon organic ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
For the dressing:
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
- 3 tablespoons organic apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon organic lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tablespoon organic fresh dill (finely chopped)
- ½ teaspoon organic dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon organic ground garlic
- ¼ teaspoon organic ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
Optional garnish:
- organic fresh dill (finely chopped)
Instructions
For the veggie prep:
- Prepare the veggies by cutting them into small, cubed pieces. It's important to try to cut them all the same size, if possible, so that none of the veggies overpower the others. You can cut the olives and cherry tomatoes in half.
- Add the cut veggies to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
For the orzo:
- Prepare the orzo according to your package. If you are using a gluten-free orzo pasta, like Jovial Grain-Free Cassava Orzo Pasta, you can use their instructions: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the Jovial Grain-Free Cassava Orzo and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the Jovial Grain-Free Cassava Orzo and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente.
- Run the cooked orzo under cold water to prevent it from becoming sticky.
For the dressing:
- While the orzo is cooking, add all ingredients for the dressing to a small mixing bowl and whisk together. Adjust seasonings to your preference.
Assembly:
- Once the orzo is prepared, drained and rinsed, add it to the large mixing bowl with the prepped veggies as well as the arugula.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss everything together until the dressing is evenly distributed.
- Serve immediately or allow the pasta salad to chill for approximately 30 minutes for best flavor.
- Store in an air-tight BPA-free container for 3-4 days. You may need to prepare additional dressing since gluten-free pasta will absorb it more than regular pasta.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
Copyright Notice
The instructions, notes, and photographs for this recipe by Karielyn Tillman of The Healthy Family and Home™ website are copyrighted material. This copyrighted work is protected and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International License and the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) and cannot be legally used without my written permission.
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