Mediterranean Orzo Salad

I love a good orzo salad, and this is one of my favorites because it’s tangy and fresh and there are approximately fourteen million fun ingredients…so it goes with pretty much everything!

You know what Confucius always said: “There’s just something about that orzo!”

First, make the delicious dressing (alliteration alert): Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a jar…

And shake it for approximately 38.5736222 seconds to combine. Give or take a year.

Place the cooked, cooled orzo into a large bowl with all the other ingredients. As you can see, there are so many “other ingredients” that you can barely see the poor orzo, but trust me…it’s there! You can see it peeking out from beneath the tomatoes.

I added tomatoes (yellow and green), red onion, garbanzo beans (yum!), pitted kalamata olives, feta cheese, and parsley! But you can add cucumbers, other olives…anything you want.

Oh, and a note about orzo. It grows when it cooks, man! Seriously, you can start with just a tiny little container of the stuff and pretty soon you have to move out of your house because the orzo has taken over. So just be sure to gauge how much orzo you have relative to the other ingredients, and adjust according to your taste or mood or astrological sign.

Pour over the dressing and toss it all together, making sure it’s all combined. Then it’s always nice to pop it in the fridge for at least an hour, just to let all the flavors meld. Oh, and give it a taste.

When you serve it, throw a little more feta on top for good luck. Or good measure. Or good will. Or all of the above!

And a little extra parsley makes it even purtier.

Variations
• Add Parmesan shavings
• Add diced grilled chicken
• Add sliced cucumbers

Serve with:
• Burgers
• Grilled Chicken
• Grilled Vegetables
• Roasted chicken legs for a picnic

Here’s the handy dandy printable!

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Recipe

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Prep Time: 2 Hours Cook Time:
Difficulty: Easy Servings: 12

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 whole Lemon, Juiced
• 1 clove Garlic, Minced
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 12 ounces, weight Orzo Pasta, Cooked, Drained, And Cooled
• 1 cup Red Grape Or Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 cup Yellow Grape Or Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 cup Kalamata Olives, Halved
• 1 cup Crumbled Feta Cheese
• 1 cup Chickpeas, Drained.
• 1/2 whole Red Onion, Diced
• 3 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley

Preparation Instructions

In a jar or bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper until totally combined.

Place the orzo and all the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl and pour the dressing over the top. Stir to combine, taste and adjust seasonings, and refrigerate at least an hour before serving. Top with more feta and parsley and serve as a main dish salad or with grilled chicken, fish, or burgers!

Posted by Ree | The Pioneer Woman on January 19 2015