Description
Rainbow Orzo Salad is a bright, colorful, and refreshing pasta salad made with tender orzo, crisp vegetables, fresh basil, feta cheese, and a tangy homemade red wine vinaigrette. It is perfect for summer gatherings, meal prep, or a light lunch.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, chopped (optional)
- 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt, to taste for dressing
- Black pepper, to taste for dressing
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo pasta and cook until al dente according to the package instructions.
- While the orzo cooks, make the dressing by whisking together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until combined.
- Drain the cooked orzo and rinse it under cold water for about 1 minute, or until cooled.
- Transfer the cooled orzo to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, orange bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese, and fresh basil to the bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well until everything is evenly coated.
- Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Notes
- You can substitute grape tomatoes or diced Roma tomatoes for the cherry tomatoes.
- English cucumber or Persian cucumber both work well in this recipe.
- To make it vegan, omit the feta cheese and replace the honey with pure maple syrup.
- If the salad dries out after chilling, drizzle with a little extra olive oil or dressing before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiling, Mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 205
- Sugar: 3.7 g
- Sodium: 160.3 mg
- Fat: 11.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22.6 g
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Protein: 4.6 g
- Cholesterol: 5.6 mg