Italian Orzo Pasta Salad

This twist on a basic Italian pasta salad is a recreation changer. The orzo pasta provides this salad the proper chew and texture. Plus, it’s loaded with crisp veggies and a simple 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 chew. And the feel of this salad is just about good. In the event you’re nervous 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. Prepare dinner to al dente for a agency, chewy chew.
• Olives: the sliced black olives in a can are an important possibility, or you possibly can 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: Offers an important crunch and tangy zip. You may additionally substitute with banana peppers.
• Cherry Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes additionally work, and you should use pink or yellow.
• Recent Mozzarella: Cubed recent mozzarella provides a pleasant mushy texture to the salad. Nonetheless, you possibly can 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.

Elective Add-Ins

Meat: We love these mini pepperonis for the way nicely they mix with the scale of the opposite substances, however in the event you’re not a fan, you possibly can simply swap with a unique protein. We suggest grilled hen, floor Italian sausage, or sliced salami as a substitute.

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

Beans: Add some extra substance to your salad! Beans are a good way to make this pasta salad somewhat extra hearty and filling. Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) pair nicely 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 recent mozzarella to avoid wasting time. Parmesan can be an important various that will pair completely with the Italian flavors.

Make-Forward Directions

This pasta salad is tremendous straightforward to make forward. You’ll be able to whip up the dressing 1 to 2 days early and stash it within the fridge. Then cook dinner the pasta the evening earlier than and retailer within the fridge to relax. If you’re able to eat, all you’ve bought to do is chop the veggies and toss all of it collectively in an enormous bowl. Carried out and carried out!