Herbed orzo with chickpeas (Κριθαράκι με βότανα και ρεβίθια)

Herbed orzo with chickpeas

A delicious meal of fresh herbs, orzo and chickpeas

If you’re looking for a dish to remind you that spring is here, and that the cold winter months are behind you, then this is it.  A simple recipe using orzo and loads of fresh herbs, the colour,  smell and the flavour of this herbed orzo make it clear that sunny days are here…or at least, coming soon.

The fresh taste of this herbed orzo dish is enough to entice you to make it over and over again.  But, an added bonus is that it is quick, easy, economical (super economical if you happen to have your own herb garden) and vegan, making it perfect for meatless Mondays, period of Orthodox lent, and any other time you want a plant-based meal.  The addition of chickpeas ensures that the dish is full of protein and that it is satisfying.

Helpful hints

Unlike the Greek pasta salad previously posted which is also orzo based and is lovely served either at room temperature or a little cold, this herbed orzo dish really tastes best when warm; at a warm temperature the flavours of the herbs are maximized.

Herbed orzo with chickpeas

The key to making this meal is to use the freshest herbs you can find.  If you prefer different herbs, or really don’t like the flavour of one which we include in our recipe, feel free to play around a little bit with the ingredients. The important thing is to keep the total quantity of chopped fresh herbs the same.

Herbed orzo with chickpeas

We are huge proponents of using dried beans and legumes, but in a pinch, canned is fine.  In order to ensure that this recipe is as easy as possible and capable of being prepared at the last minute, we used canned chickpeas here.

We usually eat this herbed orzo dish as a meal, although it would also make a great side dish.  We think it would be particularly delicious as an accompaniment to grilled lamb or chicken.

Looking for some more pasta recipes? How about these?

Spaghetti with olive oil and mizithra

Pasta with Nea Fytini

Spanakopita mac and cheese

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Herbed orzo with chickpeas

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Herbed orzo with chickpeas

Herbed orzo with chickpeas

A delicious meal of fresh herbs, orzo and chickpeas.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Greek
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Author: Mia Kouppa

Equipment

  • medium sauce pot
  • mixing bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 cup orzo
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh chive
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Add 1 teaspoon salt to a pot with 6 cups of water.  Bring to a boil, add the orzo and cook according to the package directions.  
    1 cup orzo
  • Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl combine the chopped herbs, the olive oil and the lemon zest.  
    1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint, 1 tbsp chopped fresh chive, 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil, 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • When the orzo has cooked, drain well and then add it to the bowl with the fresh herbs. 
  • Pour the lemon juice over the orzo and mix well until all of the ingredients are combined.
    1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
  • Add the chickpeas to the bowl with the orzo and mix well.
    1 cup canned chickpeas
  • Season with salt and pepper as desired.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

This is a dish which is best served warm.  

Thanks for sharing!

4 Comments

  1. Konstantina says:

    Hi Ladies, another excellant dish!!!!
    I like to make this with whole wheat orzo or tri colored orzo when I’m able to find it, usually have luck during the Easter holiday!!
    This time I added diced fresh tomatoes and served it in a bed of spinach leaves, oh so yummy. After Lent, I’ll top off this dish with feta cheese and kalamata olives.

    1. miakouppa says:

      Super Konstantina!! Thanks so much for trying our recipes – so glad that you enjoyed this one! And we like the modifications you made to it – sounds yum 😉 xox Helen & Billie

  2. Easy and delicious. I added anitho just because I had some in the fridge. Thanks so much for sharing your recipes.

    1. miakouppa says:

      You are so welcome Julie! Love that you made the recipe your own by using what you had on hand. Zero waste! 🙂 Thank you for being here with us! xoxo Helen & Billie

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