Summer Orzo Pasta Salad
This summer orzo salad features summery vegetables, marinated onions and crunchy walnuts. It has garden fresh veggies, delicate orzo pasta, texture variation and an herby balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Plus it has sweet red grapes that give the salad a burst of sweetness. Make this recipe for your next BBQ, picnic or for meal prep and enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean for lunch all week long.
Ingredients
- ½ red onion sliced thin
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 Persian cucumbers sliced
- 3 tbsp celery diced small
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup red seedless grapes halved or quartered
- 1 head broccoli cut in small florets
- 8 oz orzo pasta (measurement is for dry not cooked)
- 2 jarred roasted red peppers chopped
- ½ cup walnuts rough chop
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper Optional
- 2 tbsp basil fresh from garden, rough chop
Instructions
- First marinate the onions and make the dressing simultaneously. Do this by adding the sliced onions to the bottom of a large salad bowl. Add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, pure maple syrup, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Stir well and set aside.
- Next in a saucepan, boil water to cook the orzo and broccoli. Cook the orzo according to the box directions. Add the broccoli florets for the last 3 minutes of cooking to the same pot with the orzo. The broccoli will turn bright green but retain its integrity if you do not overcook. Drain the orzo and broccoli, rinse with cold water to halt cooking and let drain very well while assembling the rest of the salad.
- To the bowl with the onions that are marinating in the dressing, add tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, bell peppers, celery, orzo and broccoli. Stir well. Then add walnuts, basil and optional crushed red pepper and stir again.
- Store covered in the refrigerator and enjoy within 4 days for best quality.
Nutrition
Calories: 445kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 12gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 730mgPotassium: 788mgFiber: 7gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 1184IUVitamin C: 125mgCalcium: 124mgIron: 3mg
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