Italian Orzo Pasta Salad

This twist on a traditional Italian pasta salad is a recreation changer. The orzo pasta offers this salad the proper chunk and texture. Plus, it’s loaded with crisp veggies and a straightforward do-it-yourself French dressing dressing.

Love orzo as a lot as we do? Then you definitely’ll love our Lemon Chicken and Orzo.

What’s nice about this salad is the scale of every ingredient. The orzo pasta, mini pepperoni, and small items of mozzarella all match collectively on one spoon, supplying you with the proper chunk. And the feel of this salad is just about good. In the event you’re fearful a few soggy pasta salad, this isn’t that! Cooking the orzo pasta to al dente and mixing it with olives, peppers, and tomatoes makes this pasta salad mild with that good crunch. This pasta salad and my Mediterranean Chickpea Salad have turn out to be my go-to for meal-prepping a fast and attractive lunch!

Ingredient Notes

• Orzo Pasta: This short-cut pasta resembles rice and is discovered within the pasta aisle at most grocery shops. Prepare dinner to al dente for a agency, chewy chunk.
• Olives: the sliced black olives in a can are an excellent possibility, or you might go inexperienced.
• Mini Pepperonis: Simply swap for normal, sliced pepperoni or salami.
• Inexperienced Bell Pepper: Substitute with yellow or crimson bell peppers for a sweeter taste.
• Pepperoncini: Offers an excellent crunch and tangy zip. You might additionally substitute with banana peppers.
• Cherry Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes additionally work, and you should use crimson or yellow.
• Recent Mozzarella: Cubed recent mozzarella offers a pleasant smooth texture to the salad. Nevertheless, you might all the time use these little mini mozzarella balls or shredded mozzarella as a substitute.
• Salad Dressing: You can also make your dressing with recent herbs over dried. You’ll need to use one tablespoon of finely minced recent herbs for each teaspoon of dried herbs the recipe requires.

Non-obligatory Add-Ins

Meat: We love these mini pepperonis for a way effectively they mix with the scale of the opposite elements, however should you’re not a fan, you may simply swap with a distinct protein. We advocate grilled hen, floor Italian sausage, or sliced salami as a substitute.

Veggies: We love a very good crunch to our pasta salads. In the event you’re trying to load up with extra veggies, you might add one other bell pepper (yellow and crimson are sweeter), some chopped crimson onion and zucchini, or perhaps a diced jalapeño for a bit of kick of warmth

Beans: Add some extra substance to your salad! Beans are an effective way to make this pasta salad a bit of extra hearty and filling. Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) pair effectively with this salad for his or her measurement and texture.

Cheese: Be happy to make use of your favourite cheese. You need to use mini mozzarella balls or shredded mozzarella as a substitute of chopped recent mozzarella to avoid wasting time. Parmesan can also be an excellent different that will pair completely with the Italian flavors.

Make-Forward Directions

This pasta salad is tremendous simple to make forward. You may whip up the dressing 1 to 2 days early and stash it within the fridge. Then prepare dinner the pasta the night time earlier than and retailer within the fridge to sit back. While you’re able to eat, all you’ve acquired to do is chop the veggies and toss all of it collectively in a giant bowl. Performed and performed!