Rainbow Orzo Salad Recipe
Orzo pasta is versatile stuff. Much like rice, you can mix just about anything with it to make a great pasta salad. This rainbow orzo salad recipe is perfect for the coming warmer days. It’s great for sharing with friends and family at barbecues, potlucks, celebrations, and more.
This wonderfully easy pasta salad recipe is full of delicious veggies and can be tossed with your favorite vinaigrette. Orzo pasta salad makes a fantastic side dish or a vegetarian or vegan main course for any weeknight dinner or weekend get-togethers.
What Is Orzo Salad?
Orzo is pasta. It’s made into a small, grain-like shape that resembles large pieces of rice. Like any other pasta, you can get orzo in regular or whole-grain varieties. You cook the pasta just like you would any other pasta, drain it, and then mix in anything you want to add to it to create a delicious salad.
What To Serve With Orzo Salad
You can serve a lot of different foods with orzo salad. Some ideas are:
- Grilled or Roasted meat of any kind
- Fresh garlic bread
- Green salad
- Minestrone
- Chopped Italian Salad
- Bruschetta
- Greek Salad
- Dinner rolls
- Bean salad
Orzo Salad Recipe Tip
The number one tip for making this salad work is to make sure you chop all your vegetables small enough. Just a few extra chops will go a long way to making this salad truly enjoyable.
Can I Use A Different Type Of Pasta?
Yes. It won’t be orzo salad anymore (obviously), but this will work with any pasta you want to use. Macaroni pasta is a good choice.
Recipe Additions And Variations For This Orzo Salad Recipe
This salad is about as versatile as a pasta salad can get. So, if you want to play around with flavors, this is the recipe to do that with. Here are some suggestions to get you started. Add these ingredients with your heart instead of a measuring cup.
- Tomatoes – Try small tomatoes such as cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes.
- Chickpeas
- Olives – Kalamata olives would be tasty.
- Feta cheese crumbles
- Shrimp
- Avocado
- Cilantro
- Kale
- Spinach
- Asparagus
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Tuna
- Zucchini
- Pepper flakes
- Shredded chicken
- Fresh parsley – chopped fine.
- Walnuts – chopped fine.
- Tahini
- Scallions
- Green peas
- Broccoli
- Pesto
- Arugula
- Celery
- Almonds
- Capers
- Carrots
- Lemon zest
About The Orzo Salad Recipe Ingredients
Whole grain orzo – Like any pasta, you can find orzo made with whole wheat.
Red onions – You’ll want to chop these as finely as you can for the best texture.
Bell peppers – Choose different colors, whichever you like best.
Corn kernels – These should be fully cooked before you add them to the salad.
Garlic cloves – Pressing these works best, but mincing will do if you don’t have a press.
About The Orzo Salad Dressing Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil – Or any light-flavored oil you prefer to use.
Fresh basil leaves – You want a handful. The measurement in the recipe is just a suggestion. Add fresh basil with your heart.
Prepared yellow mustard – Look for a brand without added sugar.
English cucumber – You can peel this or leave it unpeeled, according to your preference.
Lemon – Unless you want to really bring out the lemon flavor with a bit of zest, you only need the juice from this.
How To Make Orzo Salad With Vegetables
Gather and measure all your ingredients. Cook the orzo according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water until the orzo is fully cooled. (This won’t take long)
In a large bowl, combine the cooked orzo, red onion, bell pepper, corn, English chopped cucumber, and garlic.
Stir well to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, basil, mustard, and lemon juice.
Drizzle the dressing over the pasta salad and toss to combine. Chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Enjoy this colorful and flavorful rainbow orzo salad as a side dish or light lunch.
Storing This Orzo Salad Recipe
Refrigerate this orzo salad in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezing
Freezing is not recommended for this recipe.
Reheating This Orzo Salad Recipe
Reheating is not necessary for this dish. It is a great salad to chill before serving.
More Orzo Salad Recipes
- Orzo Salad With Pesto
- Chickpea Orzo Salad
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Rainbow Orzo Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry orzo
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- 2 medium bell peppers (diced – Pick different colors)
- 1 cup cooked corn kernels
- 2 large garlic cloves (pressed or minced)
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 tbsp. prepared yellow mustard
- 1 medium English cucumber (diced)
- 1 medium lemon (juice only)
Instructions
- Gather and measure all your ingredients. Cook the orzo according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water until the orzo is fully cooled. (This won't take long)
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked orzo, red onion, bell pepper, corn, English chopped cucumber, and garlic.
- Stir well to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, basil, mustard, and lemon juice.
- Drizzle the dressing over the pasta salad and toss to combine. Chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy this colorful and flavorful rainbow orzo salad as a side dish or light lunch.
Notes
Nutrition
