This savory and zesty orzo salad options cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta cheese, spinach, and a selfmade (or store-bought!) Italian dressing. It is nice for making forward and sharing with the group at potlucks, barbecues, picnics, and cookouts!
Why you will love orzo salad
This fast and straightforward recipe options the right steadiness of summer time flavors and textures. The small, rice-shaped orzo pasta pairs properly with juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and creamy feta cheese. Kalamata and inexperienced olives (I used Castelvetrano olives) lend a briny depth, and recent spinach provides a vibrant inexperienced crunch. Tossed in a zesty lemon French dressing, this vegetarian salad is each refreshing, wholesome, and flavorful. Whether or not you are heading to a yard barbecue, picnic, or potluck, this versatile and crowd-pleasing orzo salad is bound to be successful. What I like the perfect is that it takes solely 20 minutes to make, retains effectively refrigerated, and is nice for making forward. Serve it chilled or at room temperature, making it a perfect dish for any summer time gathering.
The final word summer time aspect dish
Get pleasure from orzo salad as an appetizer, aspect dish, or use the leftovers as a lightweight lunch. Its fast preparation time and beautiful presentation make it a favourite for summer time or any time of yr. Different cookout sides you may like are tomato avocado corn bacon salad and family-favorite strawberry spinach salad.
Predominant components
- Orzo is a short-cut pasta that appears just like rice. Prepare dinner the pasta al dente for the perfect texture and rinse it beneath chilly water after cooking to forestall it from turning into mushy. You can too use quinoa, jasmine rice, or quick pasta, reminiscent of fusilli, farfalle (bow-tie pasta), penne, rigatoni, fusilli, or orecchiette.
- Cherry tomatoes. I used 2 colours: yellow and purple. Slice them in half.
- Cucumber. Use two medium cucumbers (quartered) or one massive one. There is no such thing as a have to peel them.
- Olives. Use pitted black, inexperienced, or kalamata olives. I used a combo of kalamata and Castelvetrano olives.
- Feta cheese has a tender texture and briny taste.
- Spinach or arugula each make an excellent addition to the orzo salad.
Salad dressing
- Salad dressing components embrace additional virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
- I like to recommend utilizing freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice (not bottled) and further virgin olive oil.
- You should utilize dried Italian seasoning or Herbs from Provance as a substitute of dried oregano.
- Mix all of the dressing components in a mason jar or a small high-sided mixing bowl and whisk with the fork (or shut the jar with the lid and shake it vigorously to mix the flavors).
Tips on how to make orzo salad
This vegetarian pasta salad takes solely 20 minutes! You may serve it instantly or refrigerate it for as much as 3 days (maintain spinach separate). Prepare dinner orzo al dente, drain, and rinse it beneath operating chilly water in a tremendous mesh strainer. Make the salad dressing. Then, merely mix cooked orzo with halved cherry tomatoes, quartered cucumber, olives, feta cheese, recent spinach, and salad dressing in a big bowl. Observe: That is the overview. The detailed recipe (with quantities) is on the backside of this submit (within the recipe card).
Suggestions and suggestions
- Prepare dinner orzo al dente. This type of texture works the perfect with the pasta salad particularly if you wish to make it forward and prevents the orzo from getting mushy. To prepare dinner pasta al dente, you usually should boil pasta 2 minutes shorter than regular. For instance, if the bundle directions let you know to boil (simmer) pasta for 10 minutes – simmer/prepare dinner it in boiling water for 8 minutes as a substitute.
- Rinse cooked orzo beneath operating chilly water in a tremendous mesh strainer earlier than mixing with the opposite components. This eliminates additional starch and stops the orzo from cooking within the residual warmth, maintaining its al dente texture.
- Make it gluten-free. Gluten-free orzo is obtainable. You can too use quinoa, jasmine rice, or cauliflower “rice”.
Make it forward
This salad retains effectively refrigerated, so it is an ideal recipe for meal prep, or to make forward for lunch and snacks. You may simply make this salad forward by cooking orzo upfront and mixing all salad components collectively besides the salad dressing and spinach. Add these two instantly earlier than serving.
What to serve with orzo salad
It is a versatile aspect dish that pairs effectively with any weeknight dinner and is equally spectacular for picnics, potlucks, and BBQ events. Listed here are my favourite summer time meals to pair with the summer time orzo salad:
- Cilantro-Lime Rooster with Corn and Feta Cheese
- Rooster with Peaches and Lemon-Honey Sauce
- Garlic Butter Rooster with Zucchini and Corn
- Bacon Pineapple BBQ Rooster Bake
Different summer time pasta salad recipes
In the event you loved this shiny and vibrant orzo salad, take a look at my different summer time favorites:
- Mexican Road Corn Pasta Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Corn Pasta Salad with Bacon and Creamy Pesto Dressing
- Spaghetti Salad
- Pasta Salad with Peaches, Spinach, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella Cheese
Orzo Salad
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Substances
Pasta
- 1 cup raw orzo
Salad dressing
- ¼ cup additional virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or extra
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- freshly floor black pepper to style
Salad components
- 10 oz cherry or grape tomatoes (purple and yellow) sliced in half
- 2 medium cucumbers quartered
- ⅓ cup pitted black olives sliced
- ⅓ cup pitted inexperienced olives sliced (I used Castelvetrano olives)
- 4 oz crumbled feta cheese
- 2 oz child spinach
Directions
Prepare dinner pasta
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Prepare dinner 1 cup of orzo in 2 cups water for about 10 minutes on a simmer. Add small quantities of additional water if the orzo continues to be not cooked and the water is already absorbed. As soon as the pasta is completed cooking (al dente), drain and rinse beneath chilly operating water in a tremendous mesh strainer.
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Whereas the orzo is cooking, proceed with the remainder of the recipe.
Make dressing
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Mix the salad dressing components in a small mason jar. Whisk with a fork till emulsified.
Assemble the salad
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In a big mixing bowl, add sliced cherry tomatoes, quartered cucumber slices, olives, and salad dressing. Combine the dressing completely with the veggies.
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Add drained and rinsed orzo, crumbled feta cheese, and child spinach to the bowl with marinated veggies. Toss to mix—season with salt and pepper. Add extra lemon juice if desired.
Notes
Useful ideas
- Rinse cooked orzo beneath chilly water in a tremendous mesh strainer earlier than including to the salad. You need pasta to cease cooking and forestall it from getting mushy.
- Salad dressing choices. Make a dressing from scratch or use store-bought Italian or Greek.
- Veggies. Add mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichokes, or zucchini.
- Add leafy greens, reminiscent of spinach or arugula.
- Cheese. Different choices apart from feta are small Mozzarella balls (pearls), sliced Mozzarella, and cubed or grated Parmesan.
- To make it gluten-free, use gf orzo, quinoa, jasmine rice, or the gluten-free pasta of your selection. As soon as cooked, rinse the pasta with chilly water to forestall it from getting mushy. That is particularly vital for gluten-free pasta.
- Make it dairy-free. Use dairy-free, vegan feta cheese as a substitute of standard.
- Tips on how to serve it? Serve it heat, at room temperature, or chilled.
Storage Suggestions
- You may retailer the leftovers refrigerated in an air-tight container for as much as 3 days.
- Make-ahead tip: Do not add the dressing and spinach when you plan on refrigerating the salad for a day or two. Add these proper earlier than serving.
