ORZO IS A VERY VERSATILE PASTA TO SERVE HOT OR COLD
I just LOVE Orzo! Whether it’s served hot or cold, it’s so easy to make and you can add just about ANYTHING to it and it’s delicious! I also love adding it to chicken soup or a tomato-based soup!
Last night I made an Italian Tomato Soup for dinner and decided to make some orzo to add to it. So today as I was perusing what was left in my refrigerator for lunch, and I grabbed the orzo and thought I’d make a pasta salad. I had some scallions, grape tomatoes, and an orange and found some dates in my pantry. Voila! An Orzo Pasta Salad with an Orange Vinaigrette was born!
AN EASY ORZO PASTA SALAD WAS BORN
Keeping it simple, I just sliced up the tomatoes and scallions, added them to the orzo with the dates, and made a simple vinaigrette with fresh squeezed orange juice, extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper! That’s it! Tossed all together, and the flavor was fabulous!
And don’t hesitate to get creative with the orzo! Whatever fruit or vegetables you have in your fridge, just throw them in with the orzo, and make a quick vinaigrette using fresh lemon, lime, or orange juice with an extra virgin olive oil! Add a little Dijon mustard to emulsify it, or substitute a white balsamic or champagne vinegar for the citrus, and you’ve got a whole new taste!
Have some fun with it! I know I do!
Until next time,
Let’s get cookin”
Madeline
Orzo Pasta Salad with Orange Vinaigrette
Equipment
- 1 4 - 8 Quart Pot with Lid
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Small Bowl for the dressing
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked orzo pasta
- 1 cup diced scallions
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise in half
- 1 cup dates, roughly chopped or just from the bag
- 1 orange
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to directions, drain and rinse with cold water.
- Add cooked pasta into large mixing bowl.
- Add tomatoes and scallions to the orzo.
- Add dates to the orzo salad and toss with salt and pepper.
- In the small bowl, squeeze the juice from the orange. Add extra virgin olive oil, and whisk together.
- Pour dressing on orzo salad and toss until well combined.
- Serve room temperature or chilled.
Notes
