Pasta e Ceci Salad

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated April 8, 2026

  • Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Media 1 of 1
Ready In
25 min
Rating
5(394)
Comments
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Inspired by the timeless combination of chickpeas and short noodles in the classic Roman dish pasta e ceci, this lively leafy salad is just right for the warmer months. Keep things light with a generous ratio of chickpeas and greens to orzo, along with a tart, vivacious lemon dressing. No need to massage the kale; you can simply toss it into the dressing and let it soften while the orzo cooks. There’s Parmesan in the salad for saltiness, but vegans can use nutritional yeast instead. Cut down on your dishes by making the dressing in a mixing bowl that is large enough to fit the entire salad.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1 cup orzo

  • ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan (or nutritional yeast), plus more for serving

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

  • 4 cups torn lacinato or curly kale leaves (from 1 bunch)

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed

  • ½ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • Handful torn fresh parsley or basil leaves

  • ½ cup slivered or sliced (flaked) almonds, toasted (see Tip)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

74 grams carbs; 6 milligrams cholesterol; 664 calories; 17 grams monosaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 31 grams fat; 18 grams fiber; 709 milligrams sodium; 26 grams protein; 10 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a medium pot of salted water to the boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the orzo, then rinse it under cold water and drain again.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the Parmesan, olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice; season generously with salt and pepper. Add the kale and toss to coat. Allow to soften for a few minutes until the orzo cooks. 

  3. Step 3

     Add the cooled pasta and chickpeas to the kale, along with the crushed red pepper and half the herbs, and toss to coat. Taste and season well with salt and pepper. 

  4. Step 4

    To serve, top with remaining herbs, more Parmesan and the almonds. 

Tip

  • To toast almonds, spread them out on a small baking sheet and toast at 300 degrees for 10 minutes. Allow to cool before using.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
394 user ratings
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Comments

Dr. Eggplant

This was fast and tasty, but not cohesive. One bite was full of chickpeas, the next just kale. I felt the kale either had to be slivered finely, massaged very well or wilted to make it all come together. I followed the recipe to a T, but the dressing would benefit from a couple cloves of minced garlic, and perhaps a scoop of Dijon mustard for added pungency. And I would double the almonds for added texture.

sgmils

This is a snap to make, uses mostly pantry ingredients, and is yummy and filling without being heavy. I didn't have kale on hand, but blanched broccoli florets worked great as a substitute. Feels like the salad would adapt readily to other veggies and soft herbs, plus it would travel well for potlucks or picnics. A winner

Maureen

I’m an orzo salad fan for a big group and was happy to add this to the mix. It was really tasty as the recipe is but I would also recommend adding a bit more lemon. I think some castrelevtrano olives or balsamic reduction could elevate it a bit. Overall, I’m sold on a new orzo dish!

CQ

Loved it. Used whole wheat orzo. Made 1 1/2 times the dressing and added a heaping 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard as suggested in another comment. Added orange bell pepper, chopped, red onion sliced thin, bolied beets, quartered, baby spinach instead of kale, and doubled the parmesan cheese.

Jonathon

Very quick and easy. Definitely increased the lemon zest, lemon juice, and parm regg for the dressing. Didn't have that much kale so I split it with arugula and it worked great. Lots of room for additions or substitutions however I would keep the orzo for sure. Feta would fit in nicely. Canned chickpeas are never excellent but they were fine. Will make again and experiment.

BAW

The first time I made this I used orzo and doubled the recipe and it turned out well, although a bit heavy on the garbanzos. I made it tonight with another pasta because I was out of orzo and it REALLY seemed heavy on the garbanzos. I would do one less can if doubling. Also, the recipe definitely needs garlic, which I added.

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