This orzo pasta salad recipe is simple to prepare and delicious served with roasted or grilled chicken.
Easy Orzo Salad
What is Orzo? Ingredients in this orzo salad include cooked orzo which is a rice shaped pasta. It is often served on as a side dish (like this Mediterranean orzo pasta salad) or used the base ingredient in our favorite pasta salad recipes.
Veggies: Cucumbers, tomatoes and artichokes Bold Flavors: crumbled feta, sliced black olives, and red onion. Dressing: An easy Greek dressing (store bought or homemade below).
You can add or substitute other veggies too, as you desire. Garbanzo beans or diced bell peppers are good in pasta salads too. You can also add some wilted spinach leaves to make a nutritious orzo spinach pasta salad.
How to Make Orzo Salad
Orzo salad is a dish that requires a little bit of prep work, so get out your cutting board and sharpen your chef’s knife. How to Cook Orzo for Pasta Salad: When prepared properly, orzo has a pleasantly chewy texture. Here’s how to cook it for the perfect orzo pasta salad:
Bring 3 quarts of lightly salted water to boil. Add the orzo and stir as the water comes back to a boil to prevent sticking. Cook for about 10 minutes or until orzo is tender yet slightly firm. Drain and cool.
How to Make Orzo Salad:
Orzo Salad Dressing
Any vinaigrette will work well in this recipe so if you’re short on time, you can use a bottled Greek dressing. Making your own homemade dressing is so easy and tastes better than store bought. Don’t skip the honey in this recipe, it helps ’emulsify’ the dressing which keeps it from separating. Combine the following in a jar and shake until well combined.
1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside
The next time you’re planning a picnic or barbecue, this cold orzo salad is a welcome change loaded with flavor! It keeps in the fridge for days making for the perfect make ahead lunch option.
More Tasty Barbecue Side Dishes:
Italian Pasta Salad – Potluck perfection. Dill Pickle Pasta Salad – READER. FAVORITE! The Best Potato Salad Recipe – simple classic. Favorite Spaghetti Salad – fun twist on a pasta salad! Old Fashioned Bean Salad – family staple.
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