I’m at all times stunned that extra individuals don’t use orzo so right here’s my newest plea to get you to buy and make some of what’s rapidly changing into one in every of my favourite pasta shapes. I prefer it as a result of it’s versatile sufficient to serve with sauce, like spaghetti, but additionally works nice in pasta salads, like this sun-dried tomato orzo salad.
I as soon as Googled “What number of pastas are there?” and was given a solution of 350 pastas. That appears a bit on the quick finish to me. I really feel like I’ve that many pasta choices simply in my native grocery retailer as of late! The purpose is that if you’re simply sticking together with your regular few favorites, you might be in all probability lacking out.
This can be a quick recipe, however the flavors are BIG. The important thing to creating it work is to search out the jars of sun-dried tomatoes in oil and use the tomatoes AND the oil within the jar for the pesto.
What’s Orzo and easy methods to prepare dinner it
Some individuals assume that orzo is a grain due to its form, but it surely’s a straight-up pasta. Meaning it’s not gluten-free, in case your visitors ask.
As with all pastas, orzo is finest cooked in salted, boiling water. It cooks very quick and might be completed in 6-8 minutes. I like to recommend testing the orzo for doneness and when it has only a tiny chew to it (al dente) drain the orzo and rinse it with water to cease the cooking. You too can toss it with some olive oil to maintain it from sticking.
Orzo is one in every of my favourite pastas to make use of in salads (though I’m made some errors cooking orzo through the years). I’ve had extra successes than failures although like this Eggplant Orzo Bake.
What sort of sun-dried tomatoes work nicely?
There are a couple of completely different sorts of sun-dried tomatoes obtainable at most shops as of late. I might NOT use the packaged dried tomatoes for this recipe. As an alternative, ensure to get the sun-dried tomatoes which are jarred and packaged in oil.
You’ll be able to both use the entire tomatoes (and cube them) or generally discover pre-diced tomatoes in oil. Both possibility is ok.
The advantage of utilizing these jarred sun-dried tomatoes is that you should use the oil and the tomatoes!
Directions for Solar-Dried Tomato Orzo Salad
Upon getting cooked the orzo, reserve a number of the pasta water after which drain and rinse the pasta to cease the cooking.
In the meantime, the pesto for that is embarrassingly simple. Seize an 8 oz. jar of the sun-dried tomatoes in oil and add your complete jar (plus oil) to a meals processor with nuts, garlic, and lemon juice.
Pulse that up and you might be in enterprise!
Stir the sun-dried tomato pesto in with the orzo. If it appears dry in any respect, add reserved pasta water by the 1/4 cup till it smooths out. The sauce ought to barely coat all of the pasta.
Then fold in some contemporary child arugula. This works finest if the pasta isn’t scorching as that can simply fully wilt the arugula. Room temperature is nice.
Don’t neglect the parm. A lot of parm!
Season this factor with salt and pepper to your liking and also you’re in enterprise. It really works nice as a hearty facet dish or a weekday lunch possibility!
The pasta itself shops actually properly. One tip although… if you’re planning on storing it for longer than a day or two, I’d advocate NOT including the arugula till you might be able to eat it as a result of it’ll simply wilt and get unhappy.
When you’re like me, you’re keen on pasta salad and particularly an orzo pasta salad! This one checks all of the packing containers!
Substitutions and Concepts
You can take this salad quite a lot of other ways!
- Add different greens to it. Peas are a good suggestion together with herbs like contemporary parsley.
- As an alternative of a pesto, use a fundamental French dressing as a dressing with dijon mustard, shallot, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.
- Add extra protein to the orzo salad with grilled rooster or sausage
Recommendations on storage for this sun-dried tomato orzo salad
This orzo salad retains rather well for straightforward lunches. It’ll maintain fantastic within the fridge for as much as every week. In case you are utilizing the infant arugula within the salad, I like to recommend conserving it separate. It’ll wilt in case you retailer it within the salad.
Solar-Dried Tomato Orzo Salad
Solar-Dried Tomato Orzo Salad
I don’t assume you could possibly pack any extra taste right into a pasta salad. An excellent facet dish or a very nice weekday lunch possibility.
- 16 oz. orzo pasta cooked, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup reserved pasta water may not use all of it
- 8 oz. sun-dried tomato in oil
- 1 lemon juice solely
- 1 clove garlic
- ⅓ cup walnuts
- 4 oz. Parmesan cheese shredded
- 4 oz. Child arugula
- Salt and pepper
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Prepare dinner orzo pasta in response to directions in salted water. When pasta is al dente, reserve a number of the pasta cooking water, drain and rinse the pasta with chilly water.
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In a small meals processor, mix the jarred sun-dried tomatoes plus any oil within the jar, garlic, lemon juice, and walnuts. Pulse till combination is in a tough paste.
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Stir sun-dried tomato combination into the orzo. If the combination appears dry, add pasta water by the 1/4 cup till it smooths out.
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Lastly, fold in contemporary arugula and parmesan cheese. Style and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
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Serve at room temp or chilled. Leftover pasta salad will maintain nice for 4-5 days. In case you are storing for greater than 24 hours, miss the arugula till you might be consuming it so it doesn’t get too wilted.
Serving: 1bowlEnergy: 488kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 20gFats: 16gSaturated Fats: 4gPolyunsaturated Fats: 4gMonounsaturated Fats: 5gLdl cholesterol: 13mgSodium: 414mgPotassium: 903mgFiber: 6gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1088IUVitamin C: 51mgCalcium: 300mgIron: 3mg
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