Greek Orzo Salad

You can never have too many good pasta salad recipes and this one is goooood.  Quick and easy to make, packed full of wholesome ingredients, and bursting with flavor!

If you haven’t had orzo before, it’s time to try it.  Orzo is the Italian word for barley and is called such because it’s pasta that’s shaped like a large grain kernel.  It’s very versatile and is commonly used in soups, pilafs, casseroles and, like in this recipe, salads.  It’s a fun pasta to work with and you can find it in virtually every grocery store.  Look towards the top shelf, it usually comes in boxes.

You prepare it like any other pasta:  Boil it for 8-10 minutes in salted water until al dente.  We’re also going to add a little olive oil to the water while it’s cooking to make extra sure the orzo is nice and slick and doesn’t stick together later on.   Then drain and rinse for the salad.  Let it cool completely.

Chop up the veggies and the fresh herbs.

Place the cooled orzo in a large mixing bowl along with the veggies, sliced olives, and feta cheese.  Gently stir to combine.

Add all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a bowl and whisk until emulsified.  Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and gently stir to combine.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Greek Orzo Salad

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

: Kimberly Killebrew, www.daringgourmet.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1½ cups uncooked orzo
• 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• ½ cup sliced black olives (drained and thoroughly rinsed to prevent discoloration)
• ¾ cup diced feta cheese
• For the Vinaigrette:
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. To prepare the orzo, bring a pot of water to a boil, add some salt, a teaspoon of olive oil, and the orzo and cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes. Drain, rinse and drain thoroughly. Let cool completely.
2. To prepare the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until emulsified.
3. Place the cooled orzo in a large mixing bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Gently stir to combine. Pour over the vinaigrette and gently stir to combine. Refrigerate or at least 30 minutes before serving.

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