South-of-the-Border Orzo Bean Salad
This refreshing cold orzo salad combines tender pasta with chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, sweet corn, crisp bell peppers, and onions. Cilantro and fresh lime juice bring a bright, tangy finish, while canola oil rounds out the dressing. Serve it chilled as a light lunch, picnic dish, or colorful side for a summer meal.
- Prep25 mins
- Cook10 mins
- Serves8
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in South-of-the-Border Orzo Bean Salad, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 59 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 14 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 90 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 78
- Heart Health
- 84
- Metabolic
- 58
- Digestive
- 43
- Inflammatory
- 43
- Performance
- 61
- General Wellness
- 1
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain; transfer to a large bowl.
- 2
Add chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, green onions, red onion, bell peppers, corn, cilantro, salt, and black pepper to the bowl. Drizzle oil and lime juice over the salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate to chill before serving, at least 2 hours.
- Calories 469.85 kcal High 23%
- Protein 16.64 g Good Source 33%
- Carbohydrate 77.88 g 28%
- Total Fat 13.05 g Moderate 17%
- Saturated Fat 0.75 g Low Source 4%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 0.0 mg Low Source 0%
- Sodium 245.06 mg Moderate 11%
- Dietary Fiber 11.84 g Good Source 42%
- Total Sugars 5.83 g --
- Added Sugars 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 73.22 mg Low Source 6%
- Iron 4.41 mg Good Source 25%
- Potassium 587.91 mg Moderate 13%
- Vitamin A 38.44 mcg Low Source 4%
- Vitamin C 39.47 mg Good Source 44%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Citrus 🍊
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Corn 🌽
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
South of the Border Orzo Bean Salad is made with 15 ingredients and serves 8. It takes about 35 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Black Beans, Black Pepper, Canola Oil, and Corn. Each serving provides about 469.85 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is South-of-the-Border Orzo Bean Salad made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Beans, Black Pepper, Canola Oil, Corn, Fresh Cilantro. The full list of 15 is above.
- How long does it take to make South-of-the-Border Orzo Bean Salad?
- About 35 mins in total: 25 mins to prepare and 10 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 469.85 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is South-of-the-Border Orzo Bean Salad easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 15 ingredients and 2 steps.
- Is South-of-the-Border Orzo Bean Salad healthy?
- South-of-the-Border Orzo Bean Salad has an easyChef Pro health score of 54/100. Per serving, it provides 469.85 calories and 16.64 g of protein, or 33% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber, iron and vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 245.06 mg (11% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus, Wheat, Gluten, Corn and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
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