Description
Quick salad made with tiny orzo pasta and Greek-inspired ingredients: tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, bell peppers, feta cheese, and fresh mint. Dressed with vibrant, lemon-honey salad dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (170 g) dry orzo pasta
- 1½ cup (190 g) diced Persian or English cucumber (halved, quartered, 1/4″ dice; about 3 medium Persian cucumbers, or ½ English cucumber)
- 1 cup (140 g) cherry or sugar plum grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup (140 g) diced orange, yellow, red, or green bell pepper; stemmed (1/4” dice, about 1 pepper)
- 1 cup (130 g) diced whole feta cheese (1/4” dice)
- ¾ cup (85 g) small, pitted Niçoise olives
- ¼ cup (30 g) finely chopped, peeled red onion
- ¼ cup (5 g) finely chopped fresh mint (leaves only)
- Salad Dressing
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (about 1 medium lemon) – zest the lemon first, then cut in half, and juice
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large, covered, pot, bring 2 quarts (2 liters) of water to a boil over high heat. Remove the lid, add 1 tablespoon of salt, and the orzo pasta. Cook until al dente, about 8–10 minutes.
- Strain the pasta in a sieve. Rinse under cold running water until no longer hot. Drain well, shaking out any excess water, and place in a large bowl.
- (To save time, you can prep the other ingredients while the pasta is cooking).
- Add the rest of the salad ingredients to the bowl with the cooked orzo.
- Prepare the salad dressing by combining the oil, lemon juice, honey, lemon zest, and salt in a small jar. Secure with a lid and vigorously shake, until the dressing emulsifies. (You can also whisk all ingredients in a small bowl until emulsified).
- Add all the dressing to the bowl and toss until combined.
- Serve the salad at room temperature—too cold, straight from the fridge will make the flavors dull.
- Store covered and refrigerated, for up to three days. Bring to a room temperature before serving.
buy me a flat white?