Orzo Salad

Since summer is just around the corner, I thought I'd post one of my favorite pasta recipes to bring to cookouts. It's an orzo salad with a red wine vinaigrette. My sisters and I have been making this for a few years, and it's always a popular dish for any event we've brought it to. It's very simple to make, healthy, and delicious!

The original recipe can be found here.

Orzo Salad

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentis

ORZO:

4 cups chicken broth
1½ cups orzo
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1½ cups red and yellow teardrop tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
¾ cup finely chopped red onion
½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
About ¾ cup Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pour the broth into a heavy large saucepan. Cover the pan and bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Stir in the orzo. Cover partially and cook until the orzo is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Drain the orzo through a strainer. Transfer the orzo to a large wide bowl and toss until the orzo cools slightly. Set aside to cool completely.

Toss the orzo with the beans, tomatoes, onion, basil, mint, and enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve at room temperature.

Yield: 6 servings (4 recipes fills a big Tupperware bowl)

RED WINE VINAIGRETTE:

½ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if desired.

Yield: 1¾ cups (this makes enough vinaigrette for 2 recipes)

Cooked Orzo

Red Wine Vinaigrette

Orzo, veggies & vinaigrette mixed together

Photos by JoJo