This Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad is a simple recipe that can be served as a healthy side dish or vegetarian main. Roasted sweet butternut squash, crispy chickpeas, cauliflower, zucchini, and onions combined with tender orzo pasta, salty feta cheese, and a creamy garlic and herb dressing.
Why You’ll Love It:
- Quick & Easy– with minimal effort this recipe can be on the table in a little over 30 minutes.
- Roasted Vegetables– roasting vegetables has a caramelizing effect, bringing out a sweet flavor and a slightly crisp texture.
- Adaptable– this recipe is naturally vegetarian and can be easily adapted to be gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan.
Ingredient Notes:
- Fresh Vegetables– butternut squash, cauliflower, zucchini, red onion, and chickpeas.
- Orzo Pasta– a soft, oval shaped short cut pasta.
- Feta Cheese- a salty, briny cheese made of sheep & goats milk.
- Garlic & Herb Dressing– this homemade dressing is creamy & savory with a hint of spice from the garlic.
Substitutions & Variations:
- Vegetable Additions & Substitutions– Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, carrot, summer squash, broccoli, or red bell pepper.
- More Pasta Options– Ditalini, Bow-tie, Radiatori, Penne, Rigatoni, Orecchiette, Pastina.
- More Cheese Options– crumbled goat cheese, shaved Parmesan, or Burrata.
How to Make Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad:
- Pre-heat oven to 425F. Add cubed butternut squash to a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt, & pepper. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Toss butternut squash and add cauliflower, zucchini, chickpeas, and sliced onions to sheet pan. Continue baking for 20 minutes, tossing halfway.
- Add all dressing ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk until well combined. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine roasted vegetables, cooked orzo pasta, crumbled feta cheese, and desired amount of dressing- mix well. Serve warm or chilled.
Tips & Recipe Notes:
- Vegetable Roasting Times (at 425F):
- Butternut Squash- 25-30 mins
- Chickpeas- 20-30 mins
- Cauliflower-15-25 mins
- Zucchini- 15-20 mins
- Onion- 15-20 mins
- This recipe makes extra dressing. Store remainder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Store leftover orzo salad in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- If meal prepping or making ahead, store salad and dressing separately.
More Easy Pasta Recipes You Will Love:
- Portillo’s Chopped Salad
- Sheet Pan Turkey Sausage, Broccoli, & Gnocchi
- Baked Shrimp, Feta, and Butternut Squash Orzo Pasta
- Creamy Mushroom Chicken Pasta
- Mediterranean Pasta & Kale Salad with Garlic Basil Dressing
- Avgolemono (Creamy Greek Lemon Orzo Soup)
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Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad with Creamy Garlic Herb Dressing
This Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad is a simple recipe that can be served as a healthy side dish or vegetarian main. Roasted sweet butternut squash, crispy chickpeas, cauliflower, zucchini, and onions combined with tender orzo pasta, salty feta cheese, and a creamy garlic and herb dressing.
Ingredients
- 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups butternut squash peeled & cubed
- 1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 zucchini halve & sliced
- 1/2 cup canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup red onion sliced
- 1 cup cooked orzo pasta
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Creamy Garlic & Herb Dressing:
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/8 tsp onion powder
- splash white wine vinegar
- kosher salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425F. Add cubed butternut squash to a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt, & pepper. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Toss butternut squash and add cauliflower, zucchini, chickpeas, and sliced onions to sheet pan. Continue baking for 20 minutes, tossing halfway.
- Add all dressing ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk until well combined. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine roasted vegetables, cooked orzo pasta, crumbled feta cheese, and desired amount of dressing- mix well. Serve warm or chilled.
Notes
- Vegetable Roasting Times (at 425F):
- Butternut Squash- 25-30 mins
- Chickpeas- 20-30 mins
- Cauliflower-15-25 mins
- Zucchini- 15-20 mins
- Onion- 15-20 mins
- This recipe makes extra dressing. Store remainder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Store leftover orzo salad in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- If meal prepping or making ahead, store salad and dressing separately.
- Nutritional Information is an estimate only and will vary based upon specific ingredients and amounts used.
Nutrition
Calories: 367kcalCarbohydrates: 39.5gProtein: 9.5gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 5.6gCholesterol: 25mgFiber: 3.8gSugar: 6.6g
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