Mediterranean orzo salad | orzo salad recipe

Mediterranean orzo salad with step by step pictures and video- This mediterranean orzo salad is a delicious side dish or a lunch recipe bursting with mediterranean flavors. Chick peas, olives, artichoke hearts ,feta cheese, orzo pasta and many more colorful ingredients are tossed with a home made lemony jalapeno dressing. It is one of the best salad recipes I have ever tasted. Its a complete meal by itself, but can also be served as a side dish.

The salad tastes even better when you let it sit for couple of hours. It’s a great lunch box recipe.

This orzo salad recipe is adapted from Ree Drummond, the author of the pioneer women show in food network. I just love and adore Ree. She is super talented, awesomely sweet and a funny lady. I love watching her shows. Thank you Ree for a wonderful salad recipe.

I have made few more additions to the salad. I added some marinated artichoke hearts, these give a nice tangy bite to the salad. Replaced parsely with coriander leaves. To satisfy my Indian taste buds,added some jalapeno. Its a beautiful looking salad which can be enjoyed both cold and at room temperature.

Madhu’s Everyday Indian is on YouTube. Please do subscribe my  youtube cooking channel. where I share simple and healthy short videos. Here is the link- Madhu’s Everyday Indian

Here is a quick like for the video recipe of pasta dishes in my YouTube channel- coriander cashew pesto pasta, vegetable lasagna.

What is orzo pasta and how do we cook it-

Orzo is a rice shaped pasta, made of wheat semolina flour.The cooking process is very similar to cooking any other pasta. orzo is widely used in soups, salads and pilaf. I would love to try making vegetable pulav with orzo. I am sure its going to taste great.

Coming back to the recipe, few notes before making the mediterranean orzo pasta-

The pasta should be cooled completely before using in the salad.

If using regular tomatoes, remove the seeds and excess moisture, if not the pasta will get soggy.

Olives are very salty, so add the salt accordingly.

Both Parsely and coriander leaves work in the recipe.

Adding jalapeno is totally optional.

If you like a hint of sweetness, some honey can be added in the dressing.

If you are looking for more pasta recipes, please do try my

coriander cashew pesto pasta with veggies

vegetable lasgna

pasta with sauteed veggies

mediterranean orzo salad video recipe:

 

mediterranean orzo salad recipe with step by step pictures:

In a large sauce pan, bring water to boil. Add salt and the orzo pasta.

Stir in between and cook for about 9-10 minutes. Check to see if the pasta is done.

Drain the orzo in a colander and set a side to cool a bit.

For making the lemon jalapeño dressing-
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, jalapeño, garlic, black pepper and salt in a jar.

Close the jar and whisk all the ingredients for few seconds and set a side.

In a large bowl- add the orzo, chick peas, bell pepper, onion, cherry tomato, artichoke hearts, olives, coriander leaves and feta cheeses.

Pour about ⅔rd of the dressing and gently mix.

Check for seasoning and add more of the dressing if required.

Set a side for few minutes before serving. The flavors get incorporated in the salad and tastes better.

mediterranean orzo salad recipe chart: