Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Servings: 6
Yield: 6 servings

Description

This orzo salad with tomatoes, cucumber, and olives is tossed with a Greek-inspired lemon vinaigrette for a delicious pasta salad bursting with flavor.

Ingredients

1/2 (16 ounce) package uncooked orzo pasta
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 cup diced cucumber
1 cup pitted Mediterranean olives, cut in half
1 cup finely diced Asiago cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1 Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 9 minutes. Drain well. Rinse with cold water and drain well again.
2 Combine orzo, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, olives, and Asiago cheese in a large bowl.
3 To make the vinaigrette: Whisk garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl; drizzle over orzo mixture and toss lightly to combine. Add basil and parsley and mix well. Let sit for 20 minutes for flavors to blend, stirring occasionally.