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    Home » salad

    Lentil Orzo Salad

    Published: Jun 18, 2022 by Richa 30 Comments

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe

    Keep things simple this summer with this easy vegan Lentil Orzo salad. It’s packed with protein-rich lentils, crunchy veggies, Orzo and a zesty vinaigrette. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, and mealprep. Soyfree Nutfree. Glutenfree option.

    a bowl of lentil orzo salad decorated with lemon wedges

    We can all agree that the easiest way to fill your plate and your stomach is with good servings or proteins and whole grains. A refreshing summer bowl with fresh veggies, beans or lentils and some grain is a quick option to get a balanced meal that is delicious, enjoyable as well as filling. Veggies, lentils and grains (whole grain or whole grain pasta) all have fiber and that keeps you full.

    I use either orzo(pasta) or farro in the bowl. Farro is a grain that is especially protein and fiber-packed meaning it keeps you full especially long. This makes it the perfect add-in for this vegan lentil salad.

    a bowl of lentil farro salad served with lemon wedges

    In this recipe, we add tomatoes, onion and red bell pepper and toss everything with a fusion oregano lemon chipotle pepper vinaigrette to create a colorful wholesome summer salad that is perfect for picnics and potlucks.

    a bowl with vegan lentil farro salad with chopped veggies tossed in lemon vinaigrette

    This post when it went out was written with farro while the pictures have orzo. I developed and wrote the recipe with Orzo in mind. I was multitasking and researching farro at the time and the recipe got written with farro. The next day I grabbed Orzo and made it. Tweaked the dressing and sent it off to my editor to write the post. The pictures were edited and my assistant added them to the post! I am glad you all caught the goof! But either option works in the salad. Farro will be chewier and more filling. Orzo will be lighter.

    How to cook Orzo

    Bring 3 cups water to a boil. Add salt and herbs if needed. Add 1 cup orzo and cook for 9-11 minutes or until tender to preference. Stir occasionally. Drain any excess liquid

    a bowl with vegan lentil farro salad with chopped veggies tossed in lemon vinaigrette

    How to cook farro?

    Like most grains, farro is foolproof to cook. Similar to lentils and rice, the farro should be soaked for at least 30 minutes before cooking. If you’re planning ahead and want to shorten the total cook time, soak your farro overnight.

    To prepare it, bring 2 1/2 or three cups of water to a boil. Add one cup of dry farro and your selected herbs or vegetables, cover, and let simmer. For farro that was soaked overnight, simmer the grains for 10 to 15 minutes until al dente. If the farro hasn’t been soaked, simmer for 20 to 30 minutes

    Why you’ll love this lentil salad!

    • it’s perfect for summer
    • It is versatile. fill it up in lettuce cups or sandwiches or serve as is
    • can be easily made glutenfree
    • its Nutfree and Soyfree
    • its protein packed with the lentils and farro
    • the dressing uses everyday ingredients and is so delicious

    ingredients needed for making vegan lentil farro salad

    More hearty vegan salads:

    • Barbecue Lentil Farro Cauliflower Bake
    • Curried Sweet Potato Lentil Salad
    • Falafel Spice Lentil Salad Sandwich
    • Easy Summer Pasta Salad with Grilled Vegetables
    • Buffalo Chickpea salad sandwich 
    • Cold Soba noodle salad 


    Recipe Card

    Print Recipe
    4.91 from 10 votes

    Lentil Orzo Salad

    Keep things simple this summer with this easy vegan lentil orzo salad. It's packed with protein-rich lentils and ancient grain farro. Perfect for picnics, potlucks and mealprep. Nutfree Soyfree. Gluten-free option
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time30 minutes mins
    Total Time50 minutes mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: salad recipes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 263kcal
    Author: Vegan Richa

    Ingredients

    • 15 oz (425 g) can of lentils drained, or 1.5 cups cooked lentils
    • 1.5 cups (235 g) cooked orzo or farro
    • 1 cup (133 g) chopped cucumber
    • 1/2 cup (70 g) Or more chopped roasted red pepper
    • 1/2 cup (75 g) chopped tomato
    • 3/4 cup (120 g) chopped onion
    • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley

    For the dressing:

    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper flakes
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 garlic clove minced
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • black pepper or pepper flakes, and cilantro or parsley for garnish

    Instructions

    • Cook the lentils if you haven’t already. See notes
    • Cook the orzo or farro according to the instructions on the package. See notes
    • Chop the veggies and add all of the salad ingredients to a large bowl.
    • Make the dressing by adding all the ingredients to a small bowl. Mix it really well.
    • Add the dressing all over the salad ingredients and toss well. Taste and adjust salt and flavor.
    • Dress with fresh pepper or pepper flakes and fresh herbs. Serve as a summer salad, or make salad sandwiches or salad wraps.
    • Storage: to make ahead, Prep the ingredients and dressing and keep separate until ready to serve. Store in the fridge for upto 4 days.

    Video

    Notes

    .
    • Cook the orzo: Bring 1.5 cups water to a boil. Add salt and herbs if needed. Add 1/2 cup orzo and cook for 9-11 minutes or until tender to preference. Stir occasionally. Drain any excess liquid
    • Cook the farro: soak 1/2 cup farro in water for 30 mins. Drain and cook with 1,5 cups water over medium heat for 15 mins or until cooked to preference.
    • Cook the lentils: To make 1.5 cups of lentils, use 3/4 cup of dried lentils. Soak for 10 minutes and drain. Pressure cook for 11 to 12 minutes in 2 cups of water. When the pressure releases naturally, open the lid and drain the lentils. Add salt if you like your lentils salted.
    • Glutenfree: use cooked Glutenfree grain like quinoa or millet or sorghum.
    • You can also add some cooked chickpeas or other cooked beans of your choice to make it more hearty. Increase the spices and the dressing if increasing the volume of the ingredients.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Lentil Orzo Salad
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 263 Calories from Fat 45
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 5g8%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 303mg13%
    Potassium 672mg19%
    Carbohydrates 46g15%
    Fiber 13g54%
    Sugar 6g7%
    Protein 12g24%
    Vitamin A 1108IU22%
    Vitamin C 40mg48%
    Calcium 62mg6%
    Iron 5mg28%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Ingredients:

    • lentils: I use canned lentils to keep prep time short but you can cook them yourself (see tips)
    •  Cooked Orzo pasta or cooked farro: there are three common varieties of farro that you might spot in the grocery store: Einkorn a.k.a. farro piccolo, Emmer a.k.a. farro medio or Spelt a.k.a. farro grande. Check above for cooking instructions
    • veggies: chopped cucumber, roasted red pepper, chopped tomato, chopped onion and chopped cilantro or parsley
    • For the dressing, we mix virgin olive oil with lemon juice, chipotle pepper flakes, cumin, garlic clove,  salt, black pepper
      and dried oregano
    • fresh herbs: cilantro and/or parsley

    Tips:

    • You can add the salad to lettuce leaves, baby greens or to a sandwich. You can also add some cooked chickpeas or other cooked beans of your choice to make it even more hearty.
    • Increase the herbs and the dressing if increasing the volume of the ingredients.
    • Other veggies you could add here include corn, chopped celery or grated carrots. Got leftover oven roasted veggies? Mix them in!
    • No canned lentils? No problem. To make one and a half cups of lentils, you need to soak 3/4 cup of dried lentils for 10 minutes and drain. Pressure cook for 11 to 12 minutes in one and a half cups of water. When the pressure releases naturally, open the lid and drain the lentils. Add salt if you like your lentils salted.
    • Make it Glutenfree: use cooked Glutenfree grain like quinoa or millet or sorghum or use Glutenfree orzo or other short pasta

    How to make vegan Lentil Orzo Salad:

    all lentil farrot salad ingredients arranged in a white salad bowl

    Cook the lentils if you haven’t already. See notes

    Cook the orzo or farro according to the instructions on the package.

    spices and dressing being added to lentil farro salad

    Chop the veggies and add all of the salad ingredients to a large bowl.

    Make the dressing by adding all the ingredients to a small bowl. Mix it really well.

    tossed lentil farrot salad with veggies in a white bowl

    Add the dressing all over the salad ingredients and toss well. Taste and adjust salt and flavor.

    Dress with a little bit more fresh pepper or pepper flakes and fresh herbs. Serve as a summer salad.

    Storage

    To make ahead, Prep the ingredients and dressing and keep separate until ready to serve. Store in the fridge for upto 4 days.

    a bowl if vegan farro and lentil salad with vegetables and lemon olive oil dressing in a white salad bowl

     

     

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    1. Jennifer

      May 02, 2023 at 6:36 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! We made it with farro and Trader Joe’s steamed lentils. We also had some carrot shreds, basil, and green onion to use so tossed those in. YUM!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        May 05, 2023 at 9:03 am

        wow, yum!

        Reply
    2. Leesa B.

      August 20, 2022 at 7:01 am

      5 stars
      YUMMY! Another great salad that my family loved! Simple to make and very flavorful! Will be making again!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        August 22, 2022 at 1:08 pm

        Enjoy

        Reply
    3. Anna

      July 29, 2022 at 11:04 am

      5 stars
      Lovely simple but tasty salad. Super fresh and flavourful! I made it to serve 2 as a main, reduced the salt, and omitted the oil to better fit with my tastes. Will definitely make again!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        August 02, 2022 at 12:19 pm

        sounds tasty

        Reply
    4. Jessi Bustamante

      July 16, 2022 at 12:21 pm

      5 stars
      This came out delicious! Would triple the dressing next time, though, it was a small amount for the amount of food.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        July 18, 2022 at 6:21 pm

        thanks Jessi, yes, dressing is a preference

        Reply
      • Kirti Shah

        April 03, 2023 at 6:07 am

        4 stars
        Agree …dressing has to be tripled.

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          April 03, 2023 at 9:01 pm

          thank you for this suggestion!

          Reply
    5. Yvonne

      June 20, 2022 at 7:09 pm

      5 stars
      Loved this salad! I followed the recipe using farro except I omitted the chipotle pepper flakes (didn’t have any and I’ve never really seen it for sale in Canada?) Anyway it was delicious as is and will make again – maybe with Orzo?
      Definitely a keeper!!!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        June 21, 2022 at 12:17 pm

        sounds great

        Reply
      • Susanne

        June 24, 2022 at 1:46 pm

        5 stars
        Tried it, was very good!

        Reply
        • Richa

          June 25, 2022 at 11:31 pm

          Awesome

          Reply
    6. Rita

      June 18, 2022 at 9:07 am

      Hi Richa,
      I have all your cookbooks and have never cooked a single one of your recipes that turned out badly. But I’m scratching my head over this one. What I see pictured is ORZO pasta and not Farro grain in this recipe. Am I seeing this wrong? Is the photo wrong? Help me out here, please!

      Reply
      • Richa

        June 18, 2022 at 9:32 am

        Thanks! It is Orzo. See above comment for how that went through. It will turn out great with either farro or orzo! I think this is the case of overworked brain during book editing 🙂

        Reply
        • Rita

          June 18, 2022 at 9:42 am

          5 stars
          Let me tell you – all your recipes are great! Even with small mistakes. The only problem I have with them is the heat. We have to cut the spices down tremendously to keep from being set on fire. 🙂 But I love every recipe I’ve ever tried. I often make your Dad’s favorite Gobi Aloo. 🙂

          Reply
          • Richa

            June 18, 2022 at 10:06 am

            Yay awesome! Just reduce the cayenne, pepper flakes or green chilies

            Reply
        • Pam in Sacramento

          June 18, 2022 at 5:30 pm

          5 stars
          Very yummy! I used oat groats (cooked so more like rice rather than porridge) for my gluten free grain, which makes an excellent sub for farro in many dishes. I used chipotle paste since I did not have flakes. I also added a little finely chopped fresh spinach to sneak in those greens. Love a whole meal salad like this for hot summer nights. Will definitely make again.
          Thanks, Richa!

          Reply
          • Richa

            June 19, 2022 at 4:37 pm

            Awesome

            Reply
    7. Rita

      June 18, 2022 at 7:07 am

      These photos show orzo pasta rather than farro. I use farro often and see none in these pictures. What’s up with that?

      Reply
      • Richa

        June 18, 2022 at 9:27 am

        A goof up :). I developed the recipe thinking orzo. But I was researching farro for another recipe, I wrote this recipe down as lentil farro. Grabbed orzo to make it the next day. My assistant wrote the post from the written recipe with farro. No one caught it! Sorry about that. Updating the post

        Reply
      • Maneesha

        June 18, 2022 at 2:13 pm

        Wow looks amazing, Richa! If we want to cook farro in the instant pot, how many mins do you recommend we pressure cook?

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          June 21, 2022 at 10:56 am

          Check out this page: https://simple-veganista.com/instant-pot-farro/#tasty-recipes-33147-jump-target

          Reply
    8. Zsuzsa

      June 18, 2022 at 6:49 am

      Sounds delicious! However, it seems like you have orzo in your pictures, not farro 😉

      Reply
      • Richa

        June 18, 2022 at 9:24 am

        I known it is. I developed the recipe thinking orzo. But I was researching farro, I wrote the recipe down as farro. Grabbed orzo to make it. My assistant wrote the post from the recipe with farro. No one caught it. Sorry about that.

        Reply
    9. Kelsey

      June 18, 2022 at 6:28 am

      Is there a way I could replace the oil with something else in the dressing?

      Reply
      • Richa

        June 18, 2022 at 9:24 am

        Omit it

        Reply
    10. Jo

      June 18, 2022 at 6:18 am

      Very interested in making this but that looks like orzo with the lentils, not farro. My farro looks nothing like that.
      Thank you, we so enjoy your recipes.
      Jo

      Reply
      • Richa

        June 18, 2022 at 9:25 am

        Use either. I developed the recipe thinking orzo. But I was researching farro, I wrote the recipe down as farro. Grabbed orzo to make it. My assistant wrote the post from the recipe with farro. No one caught it. Sorry about that. Updating the post now

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Richa! I create flavorful plant based recipes that are inspired by my Indian upbringing, including many gluten-free, soy-free, and oil-free options.

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