Orzo Salad
This orzo salad is tossed in a zesty lemon vinaigrette with crisp veggies, garbanzo beans and fresh basil. It's a light and vibrant summer side dish!
Ingredients
Salad:
- 4 cups chicken broth , or vegetable broth
- 1 to 1 ½ cups orzo , uncooked
- 15 ounce can garbanzo beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 pint grape tomatoes , halved
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
Dressing:
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ Tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make orzo pasta. Heat 4 cups broth in a large pot over high heat. Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups orzo and cover slightly with a lid. Cook for 7 minutes, or until cooked. Drain and allow to cool completely.
- Whisk together (or shake in a jar) 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 Tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper for the dressing. Add more salt and pepper, to taste.
- Toss the orzo with the beans, tomatoes, onion, basil and enough vinaigrette to coat. If serving later in the day, reserve some of the dressing to toss into the orzo pasta right before serving. Refrigerate orzo salad until ready to serve.
Notes
Make ahead: Assemble up to 1 day in advance. Prepare as directed, however reserve some of the dressing to toss into the dish right before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The orzo will soak up the dressing as it site, add a splash of dressing to rehydrate it if it has gone dry.
Nutrition
Calories: 258kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Sodium: 874mg, Potassium: 401mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 583IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
