Mediterranean Orzo Salad
My Mediterranean Orzo Salad has the perfect combination of contrasting textures and complementary flavours. For this recipe, we use orzo to make a pasta salad with a difference. We combine the cooked orzo with sweet roasted red pepper, diced cucumber, briny olives, salty feta and crunchy pine nuts, all dressed with the tang and brightness of an olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice vinaigrette. Fresh basil further accentuates the vibrant, sunny flavours of the Mediterranean. Enjoy this salad as a side dish or on its own as a light meal.
Servings 4 people
Calories 433kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) dried orzo/risoni pasta
- 1 medium Lebanese cucumber – cut into small cubes
- ½ cup (80 g) Kalamata olives - pitted and halved
- ½ cup roasted capsicum/red bell pepper - sliced, about 1 large See Note 1
- ½ medium red onion - finely chopped
- ¾ cup (150 g) feta cheese - cut into small cubes
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves - finely sliced See Note 2
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves - finely chopped
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – add to taste See Note 3
- ¼ cup pine nuts/pignoli
For the Dressing:
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil See Note 4
- 1 tablespoon (20 ml) lemon juice - freshly squeezed See Note 5
- 1 small garlic clove - grated
Instructions
- Put a large saucepan of water on the stove and bring to the boil. Once boiling, salt your water.Add the orzo in, and stir well to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring regularly, or until just al dente. Drain the orzo, and add too a large bowl.
- While the orzo is still hot, add the olive oil, lemon juice and garlic and mix to combine. This will help the orzo to absorb the flavours.Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the orzo to cool a little.
- In a dry pan, toast the pine nuts until a light golden brown. Remove from the pan so they don't continue to cook and burn. Set them aside to cool for a few minutes.
- Add cucumber, olives, peppers, onion, feta and herbs. Toss gently to combine. Season to suit your taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Top the Mediterranean Orzo Salad with the pine nuts.Serve while still warm or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.
Notes
- Capsicums/peppers: we use our Homemade Roasted Capsicums for this recipe. You can use store bought if you prefer.
- Herbs: roll the herbs up tightly, and using a sharp knife, finely slice across them. You may have to do this in batches. A sharp knife will cut cleanly and not bruise the leaves.
- Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour.
- Olive oil: for the best flavour, we have used extra-virgin olive oil. Use the best olive oil that you have.
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons). For readers located elsewhere in the world, please use 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon for each listed tablespoon.
- Make ahead and storage: you can make it three days in advance. In fact, the flavours benefit from having time to develop and amalgamate. I recommend that you add the feta and fresh herbs just before serving. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Freshening leftovers: to brighten the leftovers, I suggest adding some fresh herbs just before serving.
- Freezing: this recipe is not suitable for freezing.
Nutrition
Calories: 433kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 830mg | Potassium: 305mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 2mg
