Orzo Salad

Orzo Salad is a delightful dish, perfect for a light lunch, a refreshing side at a barbecue, or even a quick weeknight dinner. It’s incredibly versatile, making it a potluck favorite! This pasta salad is a crowd-pleaser, combining the fun, rice-shaped orzo pasta with vibrant vegetables and a tangy dressing. From picnics to parties, Orzo Salad is a simple yet satisfying dish that everyone will love. Its adaptability makes it a fantastic base for a variety of flavors and add-ins, allowing you to create a unique salad every time. For other delicious salad options, check out this Mandarin Orange Salad.

Why this Orzo Salad is special

This Orzo Salad recipe bursts with fresh, vibrant flavors. It’s a beautiful mix of textures, from the chewy orzo and crisp vegetables to the creamy, tangy dressing. The best part? It’s so easy to customize! You can swap out ingredients based on what you have on hand or your personal preferences. Get ready for a flavor explosion!

Ingredients

This Orzo Salad is packed with fresh, flavorful ingredients. Using high-quality ingredients will truly make this salad shine! Looking for a heartier meal? This collection of chicken cutlet recipes offers some great protein options to add.

• Orzo: 1 cup (uncooked)
• Cucumber: 1 medium, diced
• Cherry Tomatoes: 1 pint, halved
• Red Onion: ½ medium, finely chopped
• Bell Pepper (any color): 1 medium, diced
• Kalamata Olives: ½ cup, pitted and halved
• Feta Cheese: ½ cup, crumbled
• Fresh Parsley: ¼ cup, chopped
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: ¼ cup
• Lemon Juice: ¼ cup (freshly squeezed is best!)
• Red Wine Vinegar: 2 tablespoons
• Garlic: 2 cloves, minced
• Dried Oregano: 1 teaspoon
• Salt and Black Pepper: To taste

Orzo

Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta that cooks quickly and absorbs flavors beautifully. It’s the star of this salad! If you don’t have orzo, you can substitute it with other small pasta shapes like ditalini or even couscous.

Vegetables

This recipe features a vibrant mix of cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and bell pepper. These add a wonderful crunch and sweetness. Feel free to get creative with your veggies! Chopped zucchini, yellow squash, or even some blanched broccoli would be delicious additions. For inspiration on using leftover chicken, explore these rotisserie chicken recipes.

Dressing

The dressing is a simple yet flavorful blend of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. The olive oil provides a rich base, the lemon juice adds brightness, and the red wine vinegar brings a touch of tang. The garlic and oregano provide a savory depth, and the salt and pepper balance everything out.

Making the Orzo Salad

Now for the fun part – putting it all together! This Orzo Salad is super easy to assemble. If you enjoy shrimp, you might like this Bang Bang Shrimp recipe as a main course.

Cooking the Orzo

First, cook the orzo according to package directions. Typically, this involves bringing a pot of salted water to a boil, adding the orzo, and cooking for 8-10 minutes. You want the orzo to be cooked al dente, which means “to the tooth” in Italian. It should be tender but still have a slight bite to it. Once cooked, drain the orzo and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. This also helps prevent the orzo from sticking together.

Preparing the Vegetables

While the orzo is cooking, prepare your vegetables. Dice the cucumber and bell pepper into bite-sized pieces, aiming for a uniform size so they cook evenly. Halve the cherry tomatoes and finely chop the red onion. If you’re using other vegetables, chop them into similar sizes. This not only looks appealing but also ensures that all the vegetables mix well in the salad. For a different flavor profile, consider this Brussels Sprout Salad recipe.

Making the Dressing

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Taste the dressing and adjust the seasonings as needed. If you like a more lemony flavor, add a bit more lemon juice. If you prefer a stronger garlic kick, add another minced clove. Getting the dressing just right for your taste is key to a delicious Orzo Salad. Learn more about the health benefits of olive oil.

I hope you give this Orzo Salad recipe a try! It’s a refreshing and flavorful dish that’s perfect for any occasion. For more information on the nutritional benefits of salads, visit Healthline’s guide on healthy salad recipes.

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