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orzo salad

★★★★★ 18
lynz39 avatar
a recipe by
Lindsey McCue
@lynz39
los angeles, CA

This is a favorite salad I make often. It's so versatile you can really make it your own easily! Make sure to taste the dressing as you are making it to adjust to your liking! And add as little or as much as you'd like. I also added about 1/2 cup or so of cooked wild rice to the mix this time and it was excellent.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Don't forget to pack this orzo salad for your next picnic. With no mayo and loads of flavor, this is a perfect picnic pick. The mixture of fresh basil and tomatoes makes it taste like pure summer sunshine. Poured over the orzo salad is a wonderful dressing that's a little tangy and a little sweet. It complements all the fresh ingredients. Full of flavor and texture, it's easy to make and ready to serve immediately.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
►
★★★★★ 18
serves 6
prep time 10 Min
cook time 10 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For orzo salad

  • 4 c
    chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 c
    orzo pasta
  • 1 can
    garbanzo beans (15 oz.)
  • 1 1/2 c
    grape, cherry, or teardrop tomatoes, halved
  • 3/4 c
    finely chopped red onion
  • 1/2 c
    chopped fresh basil
  • 1/4 c
    chopped fresh parsley or mint
  • 3/4 c
    vinaigrette (recipe follows)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • crumbled Feta cheese (optional)
  • toasted pine or walnuts roughly chopped (optional)
  • VINAIGRETTE DRESSING:
  • 1/2 c
    rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 c
    fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tsp
    honey
  • 2 tsp
    salt
  • 1 c
    extra virgin olive oil

How To Make orzo salad

Test Kitchen Tips
We did not use all the vinaigrette for the salad so you may have extra.
  • Draining the cooked orzo.
    1
    In a medium saucepan bring the chicken stock to a boil. Stir in orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently (about 7 min). Drain the orzo and toss in a large bowl until it cools slightly. (I usually add a tiny bit of olive oil so it doesn't clump together.) Set aside to cool completely.
  • Beans, tomatoes, red onion, basil, and parsley in a bowl.
    2
    Toss the orzo with the beans, tomatoes, red onion, basil, and parsley.
  • Whisking vinaigrette ingredients together.
    3
    Make the vinaigrette.
  • Coating the salad in the vinaigrette.
    4
    Add the vinaigrette until the salad is just coated.
  • Seasoning orzo salad with salt and pepper.
    5
    Season the salad to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Feta sprinkled over the orzo salad.
    6
    Serve at room temp. Add some crumbled Feta cheese and toasted nuts (if using) before serving.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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