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.

Orzo and garbanzo bean salad with olives, tomatoes, and more in a bowl.

Play make-ahead salads on repeat all summer and try ourMediterranean Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese, 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 the combo of grape tomatoes with basil and red onion, and it's perfect to serve with quick proteins like Lemon Garlic Broiled Flounder or Baked Red Snapper.

Garbanzo beans have so much flavor in their own right. I love them with feta in Chickpea Cucumber Feta Salad and our Garbanzo Bean Kale 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 or Lemon Garlic 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.

Adding tomatoes, olives, red onion and artichokes into the bowl.

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.

Serve with a Greek Chicken Burger or a Gorgonzola Grilled Chicken Burger during a BBQ or an easy party-style dish like Restaurant-Style Chicken Francese!

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

What dressing goes best with orzo salad?

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.

What else can I add to a chickpea orzo salad?

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.