Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Orzo pasta. It should be cooked first, drained properly, and let cooled
- 1 whole lemon preferably juiced
- Salt and pepper
- 1 clove garlic. Mince it
- ¼ cup olive oil. It would be better if you use the extra virgin one
- 1 cup drained chickpeas
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes or red grape
- 1 cup yellow grape
- 1 cup Kalamata olives. They should be cut in halves
- 1 cup crumbled Feta cheese
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley. It would be better when minced first
- ½ whole diced red onion
Instructions
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Toss in garlic, salt, olive oil, pepper, and lemon juice in a bowl. Mix them together until everything combined well.
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Place the Orzo pasta in a big bowl, together with other remaining ingredients.
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Add the dressing, and then stir well to combine everything. Don’t forget to taste and make adjustment to the seasonings.
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Put it into the refrigerator for an hour, minimum.
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When you are ready to serve, top the salad with extra Feta cheese and also parsley.
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You can serve it as your main salad dish. If you want to have other meals, you can serve it with burgers, fish, and chicken.
Notes
This easy Orzo salad is pretty versatile, aside from its tasty flavor. You are free to have different variations, depending on your preference. For instance, you are always free to add (sliced) cucumbers to add the freshness. You can also add grilled chicken for more protein (of course, it would be better if you dice it first). If you want more cheesy taste, add shavings of Parmesan. It will never go wrong!
If you want the extra healthier twist, you can serve the salad with grilled veggies or grilled chicken. Serving it with burgers is okay because you don’t have to be overly guilty about the calories intake. If you are having a picnic, you can even serve the salad with roasted chicken legs.
In the end, it doesn’t have to break a sweat to come up with this fresh Pioneer woman Orzo salad recipe, so why don’t you give it a try?
