Italian Orzo Pasta Salad

This twist on a traditional Italian pasta salad is a sport changer. The orzo pasta provides 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? You then’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, providing you with the proper chunk. And the feel of this salad is just about good. Should you’re apprehensive 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 grow 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. Cook dinner to al dente for a agency, chewy chunk.
• Olives: the sliced black olives in a can are an amazing choice, or you could possibly go inexperienced.
• Mini Pepperonis: Simply swap for normal, sliced pepperoni or salami.
• Inexperienced Bell Pepper: Substitute with yellow or pink bell peppers for a sweeter taste.
• Pepperoncini: Provides an amazing crunch and tangy zip. You can additionally substitute with banana peppers.
• Cherry Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes additionally work, and you need to use pink or yellow.
• Recent Mozzarella: Cubed contemporary mozzarella provides a pleasant mushy texture to the salad. Nonetheless, you could possibly at all times use these little mini mozzarella balls or shredded mozzarella as a substitute.
• Salad Dressing: You may make your dressing with contemporary herbs over dried. You’ll need to use one tablespoon of finely minced contemporary herbs for each teaspoon of dried herbs the recipe requires.

Non-compulsory Add-Ins

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

Veggies: We love an excellent crunch to our pasta salads. Should you’re trying to load up with extra veggies, you could possibly add one other bell pepper (yellow and pink are sweeter), some chopped pink onion and zucchini, or perhaps a diced jalapeño for just a little kick of warmth

Beans: Add some extra substance to your salad! Beans are a good way to make this pasta salad just a little extra hearty and filling. Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) pair effectively with this salad for his or her dimension and texture.

Cheese: Be at liberty to make use of your favourite cheese. You should utilize mini mozzarella balls or shredded mozzarella as a substitute of chopped contemporary mozzarella to avoid wasting time. Parmesan can also be an amazing various that might pair completely with the Italian flavors.

Make-Forward Directions

This pasta salad is tremendous straightforward to make forward. You possibly can 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. Once you’re able to eat, all you’ve obtained to do is chop the veggies and toss all of it collectively in a giant bowl. Accomplished and performed!