No-Lettuce Vibrant Mediterranean Orzo Salad Recipe Is Nutritious & Delicious (20 Minutes) Mediterranean Diet Recipes High Protein Recipes Pasta Vegetarian Low Sugar Recipes Salads Side Dishes Farm to Table Recipe

My local grocery store sells a delicious Mediterranean orzo salad that I absolutely love. But like with most recipes, if I can make it fresh at home, I'm doing it. This quick orzo salad is loaded with healthy, wholesome ingredients – and packed with flavor. The pasta salad recipe is ready to eat in about 20 minutes.

You need just a few ingredients, all of which are part of the heart-healthy Mediterranean Diet, to make this orzo salad. Here is your shopping list: orzo, baby spinach, grape tomatoes, feta cheese, onion, sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, capers, fresh basil, fresh garlic, white balsamic vinegar or lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt and black pepper.

Cooking Tip: You can use regular sundried tomatoes or sundried tomatoes packed in oil. I like sundried tomatoes packed in oil. Save the oil for recipes calling for sundried tomato oil. 

Make the dressing while the orzo cooks. Orzo generally takes eight to 10 minutes, which gives you plenty of time to prepare the zesty dressing. Toss all the ingredients together and you have a salad that is hard to stop eating. Not only is it delicious, but you get the health benefits of tomatoes, the health benefits of spinach and the health benefits of fresh basil.

Serve this Mediterranean salad for lunch or as a side dish with dinner.

Cuisine: Mediterranean
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 to 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup (8 ounces) orzo (uncooked)
• 5 ounces baby spinach, chopped 
• 2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half if large
• 4 ounces feta, crumbled
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup basil leaves, julienned

Dressing

• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
• 1/2 cup basil, packed
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• salt and black pepper, to taste

Here's how to make it: 

1. Cook the orzo according to package directions. Rinse under cold water and set aside. 
2. Make the dressing by putting all the dressing ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth. (If you use lemon juice instead of vinegar in the dressing, be sure to squeeze it fresh.)
3. In a large bowl, add the cooked orzo and all the salad ingredients. (You could use Parmesan cheese instead of feta.)
4. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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