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I have the prettiest spring salad today!
I can’t remember when the last time I posted a salad, but umm, today I am in a salad state of mind.
This easy layered Mediterranean orzo pasta salad is so fresh and is literally bursting with color and flavor!
And it’s so easy to put together too!
Actually the day I made this salad I kind of just walked into my pantry and started grabbing ingredients…which means it’s one of the best recipes, because for some reason the random recipes are always best.
Since this salad wasn’t planned, going to the grocery was most definitely not going to happen. It was one of those “use what you got” salads. AKA “the pantry salad”.
I am one of those people who pretty much always keeps a stocked pantry, and to be honest, I get a little anxious every time I know I am out of my backups…for my backups.
But ahh, the other day I ran out of peanut butter and almost cried. I was SO sure I had another jar, yeah, well I didn’t. I am actually thinking I need to start a list, or maybe make one of those chalkboard walls, so I can try to keep better inventory. Clearly, I am a little freakish about my pantry. Someday, I want one of those huge walk in pantries with pretty shelves of organized food. You know, like the ones straight out of a magazine? Yeah, I want that.
Thinking I could keep it organized for a good two hours before things were all over the place… again.
The point is, this salad is a pantry staple salad.
Or at least it was for me. I ALWAYS have these mediterranean ingredients on hand. What? I really LOVE mediterranean style food and I kind grew up on these flavors (hello, my dad’s Friday Night Pasta Dish), so for me, they are total staples.
OK. SO. I really created this recipe with an Easter picnic in mind, but honestly, it would be great to make from today through the end of summer. Even then, you could still make it with a few substitutions pretty much anytime of the year.
The best part is, you can prepare this salad completely in advance and just grab and go whenever you are ready for it. Whether its Easter brunch, an Easter picnic, as a packed work lunch or whatever. It’s good for SO many things. You can even veganize it by just leaving out that feta cheese. I mean, I would never, ever do that, but everybody’s got their own thing going on.
Oh, and you can make this in cute jars for individual servings or you can layer it in a big glass salad bowl. Either way it’s super fun. I guess I like the glass jars better, but I kind of have a thing for glass jars. Yup, weirdo alert for sure.
Double oh? Those flowers?! I am sorry if they are just too much for these photos, but oh my gosh, I love them and I could not help but include them in these photos. A super kind women I work with sent them to me and I have been enjoying every minute of them. Plus, it’s spring and flowers should be everywhere! <–TRUTH.
Easy Layered Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 688 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Dressing*
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- the juice + zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced or grated
- salt and pepper to taste
Salad
- 1 pound orzo pasta use gluten free if needed
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 can chickpeas drained + rinsed, 14 ounce
- 1 ounce jar marinated + roasted artichokes lightly chopped, 12
- 2 ounce roasted red peppers or 1 jar roasted red peppers sliced, 12
- 1 cup fresh basil + 1/4 cup fresh parsley + 1/4 cup fresh mint chopped
- 1 cup kalamata olives
- 8 ounces feta cheese crumbled (omit if making vegan)
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 6 cups fresh spinach
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
Instructions
Dressing
- in a glass jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice + zest, balsamic vinegar, garlic, crushed red pepper and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Assembling the Salads
- Cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain.
- Grab 4-6 (16-28 ounce) glass jars. Evenly layer each jar in order with dressing, chickpeas, roasted veggies (the artichokes and red peppers, orzo, basil, parsley, mint, kalamata olives, feta cheese, pine nuts). Fill the jars to just the top with spinach. Top the salads off with cherry tomatoes. Cover and store in the fridge for up to 1 day. To serve, you can either eat straight from the jar or dump out into bowls.
Notes
*If you love a lot of dressing, double this recipe. **You can also layer this salad in a large glass serving bowl. That would be super pretty too!!
Also, this salad? It will get you over the Wednesday hump…it’s those colors!
Yum! I was just trying to figure out a meal to prep for lunches next week! This looks amazing!
What an absolute beautiful work of art! I love everything about this amazing pasta salad recipe! Great job on the pics!
This is so gorgeous, Tieghan! I just want to have a ton of those layered salads ready in the refrigerator so that I can just give them a little shake and eat lunch anywhere I dang well please! Every.single.day! And I love the gorgeous flowers in the background!
P.S. Guess who’s gonna be in Breckenridge this weekend? Oh yeah, this girl right here! Woop woop!
No way!! Hope you have a great trip, are you spring skiing?
This salad looks so lovely – and I agree that those “clean out the pantry” type dishes are the best! I’ve always got these same sorts of things in my pantry/fridge, so I’m looking forward to whipping up some of this soon for a light dinner 🙂
I’m new to your blog and recipes! I’ve bookmarked your blog, signed up for newsletter email….all because of two things….I love baking bread and you have a beautiful eye for photo styling and food presentation. You lured me in with your enthusiasm and great food! I look forward to following you into old age!!!!
Love Love Love this Tieghan! Simple, delicious and portable!
I absolutely love the flowers! Mediterranean salads always make me think of the warmer months.
I love salads. I could literally eat them everyday (and have in the past!). This salad looks amazing, I love all of the ingredients! And I agree wtih the staples, its always so nice not to have to go to the store when you have so many ingredients in the pantry. My pantry is large but I’ve always dreamed of a clean white walk-in type pantry.
I JUST had my first salad in a jar experience, and now I want them ALWAYS! At first I thought I had to eat it OUT of the jar.
Good thing that wasn’t the case.
I am loving the flavours here. I have no picnic planned, but that won’t stop me! Pinned!
An inventory pantry-list is such a great (and nerdy 😉 ) idea! I like a neat pantry, too 🙂
This salad looks delicious! And those flowers are gorgeous 🙂
This is the second recipe with Orzo I have come across this week. I have yet to try it, I think this is a sign.
Love the salad! That combo sounds great! And I like the flowers. They’re gorgeous and totally suit the feel of the photos. 🙂
Yes, the flowers totally complete these pictures! Love them, and these salads….. I AHH-dore! I’m thinking salad in a jar needs to happen for lunch. Like every day this week!
I’m making this–I love taking jar lunches to school.
I like the flower pictures.
Oooh, Mediterranean flavors sound so lively and delicious! I can definitely sympathize with your peanut butter shortage- I love eating it with everything (and alone).