These very best orzo salad recipe, including bright, fresh Mediterranean tastes! This nutritious salad consists of entire grain orzo, fresh parsley, crumbled feta, toasted almonds, Kalamata olives and green onion.
This salad was inspired by a salad extended in the deli at a neighborhood grocery store named Hen House. That is to imply that it packs ideal for lunch and keeps well for many days in the refrigerator.
I really don’t use oranges almost as frequently as I use lime and lemon, but this salad reminds me to not overlook these sweet, silent oranges.
This orzo salad was also a lesson in pasta salads. First lesson? You have to wash the pasta immediately after cookingit doesn’t become lopsided and tacky. Adding a few of the starchy cooking water into the dressing adds body into your salad, while maintaining the oil content.
Allow the salad marinate for a minimum of 10 minutes, therefore flavors have time to simmer along with the pasta gets enough time to absorb some of the moisture. It does not taste all that particular until it has had a little break, then it tastes magnificent.
If you’re a olive hater or raisin hater, simply omit those components. The salad still functions nicely with them, though I enjoy it best as composed. You might even omit the feta to make this a vegan salad. It is so great, however you create it.
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Try other Delicious Recipes options:
- Vegan BBQ Chickpea Salad
- Broccoli Salad with Strawberries and Avocados
- Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
- Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad with Hemp Hearts
- Moroccan Salad with Quinoa and Chickpeas
- Fall Brussel Sprouts Quinoa Salad
- Roasted Sweet Potato, Pear and Pomegranate Spinach Salad
Orange Orzo Salad with Almonds, Feta and Olives
Ingredients
- ¼ cup fresh-squeezed orange-juice (from 1 to 2 oranges, preferably organic)
- ½ cup raw-almonds
- ½ cup chopped green-onion
- 8 oz whole-wheat orzo-pasta (I used DeLallo brand)
- ½ cup raisins preferably golden
- 1 medium clove garlic pressed or minced
- ½ cup crumbled feta-cheese (optional)
- 1 tsp orange-zest
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata-olives halved
- 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tbsp white-wine-vinegar
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive-oil
- freshly-ground black-pepper to taste
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Bring a large-pot of salted water to boil. Add the orzo & cook till al-dente, according to package instructions. Before draining, book roughly ½ cup pasta-cooking-water. Drain and rinse the orzo under cold running water till the orzo is no longer-warm. Drain well.
- Toast the almonds in a medium-skillet over moderate heat, stirring regularly for 5minutes or till aromatic & turning golden on the edges. Transfer the almonds to a cutting-board and chop them.
- In a large-serving-bowl, blend the cooked orzo, olives, raisins, chopped almonds, green-onion, parsley and feta (if using).
- In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine the orange-juice, orange-zest, vinegar, olive-oil, salt and garlic. Add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta-cooking-water and whisk till combined.
- Pour the dressing on the salad and toss to blend. Season with pepper, to taste.
- Season to taste with additional salt, if needed, and then serve. Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 4-days.
Notes
PIN IT FOR LATER!
