I love orzo and this recipe for orzo pasta salad is a main stay recipe in my house. It is great as a side salad with grilled meats, and is also nice to eat alongside of a hearty sandwich. You can make this into a main dish by adding cooked diced chicken or shrimp.
Orzo Pasta Salad
(Prep Time: 25 minutes)
1 pound orzo pasta 4 green onions, chopped 6 ounces cherry tomatoes (about 20) 1 Tablespoon fresh dill, chopped 1 cup kalamata olives, chopped ½ cup feta cheese
Dressing: 2/3 cup light extra virgin olive oil 4 Tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon mustard 1 teaspoon oregano ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon sugar
1. Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl. I recommend quartering the cherry tomatoes. 2. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a glass jar with a lid. Shake to mix. 3. Initially add about 1/3 cup of the dressing to the salad mixture. Adjust seasoning and amount of dressing to suit your tastes. If you prepare the pasta salad in advance you will probably need to add additional dressing as the pasta absorbs the dressing over time.
Serves: 10 as a side dish. You can add shrimp or other protein and make this a main dish as well
