Fast and Fresh Orzo Salad with Tomatoes, Basil and Feta
Yield: 6servings
Prep Time: 15 minutesmins
Cook Time: 10 minutesmins
Total Time: 25 minutesmins
Ingredients
Vinaigrette:
¼cupred wine vinegar
2tablespoonsfresh lemon juice
1teaspoonhoney
⅓cupolive oil
Salad:
12ouncesorzo pasta
6cupschicken broth
2cupsgrape or cherry tomatoes, halved
4tablespoonsthinly sliced chives or green onions
3tablespoonschopped fresh basil
1cuparugula or baby spinach, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1cupfeta cheese, crumbled
½cuppine nuts, toasted (heat them in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, tossing often until golden)
Instructions
For the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, honey and oil. Season to taste with a bit of salt and pepper. Set aside.
For the salad, cook the orzo in the chicken broth until tender according to package directions. Drain well but do not rinse. Let the pasta cool to room temperature, tossing often so it doesn't stick together (stir in 1-2 tablespoons of the dressing if the pasta is overly sticky). Toss the cooled pasta with the tomatoes, chives or green onions, basil, and arugula or spinach.
Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and stir to coat the ingredients with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Sprinkle the feta and pine nuts over the top and toss lightly. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Make Ahead: this salad, if refrigerated longer than an hour, will get a bit dry so if you want to make it in advance, consider increasing the dressing ingredients by half and reserving some of that dressing to pour over the salad right before serving (also, wait to add pine nuts right before serving).