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 home made 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 dimensions 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. When you’re fearful 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 turn out 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 amazing 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 amazing crunch and tangy zip. You possibly can additionally substitute with banana peppers.
• Cherry Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes additionally work, and you should use pink or yellow.
• Contemporary Mozzarella: Cubed recent mozzarella provides a pleasant delicate texture to the salad. Nevertheless, you possibly can all the time use these little mini mozzarella balls or shredded mozzarella as an alternative.
• Salad Dressing: You can also make your dressing with recent herbs over dried. You’ll wish to use one tablespoon of finely minced recent herbs for each teaspoon of dried herbs the recipe requires.

Optionally available Add-Ins

Meat: We love these mini pepperonis for the way properly they mix with the dimensions of the opposite elements, however if you happen to’re not a fan, you possibly can simply swap with a unique protein. We advocate grilled hen, floor Italian sausage, or sliced salami as an alternative.

Veggies: We love an excellent crunch to our pasta salads. When you’re seeking 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 slightly kick of warmth

Beans: Add some extra substance to your salad! Beans are an effective way to make this pasta salad slightly extra hearty and filling. Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) pair properly with this salad for his or her dimension and texture.

Cheese: Be happy to make use of your favourite cheese. You need to use mini mozzarella balls or shredded mozzarella as an alternative of chopped recent mozzarella to avoid wasting time. Parmesan can be an amazing different that may 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 prepare dinner the pasta the night time earlier than and retailer within the fridge to relax. Whenever you’re able to eat, all you’ve received to do is chop the veggies and toss all of it collectively in a giant bowl. Finished and finished!