Orzo Salad

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked orzo

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (or more)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (or Italian seasoning)

1/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

10 oz cherry or grape tomatoes (red and yellow) sliced in half)

2 medium cucumbers (quartered)

1/3 cup pitted black olives (sliced)

1/3 cup pitted green olives (sliced (I used Castelvetrano olives)

4 oz crumbled feta cheese

2 oz baby spinach

Directions

Cook pasta

Cook 1 cup of orzo in 2 cups water for about 10 minutes on a simmer. Add small amounts of extra water if the orzo is still not cooked and the water is already absorbed. Once the pasta is done cooking (al dente), drain and rinse under cold running water in a fine mesh strainer.

While the orzo is cooking, proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Make dressing

Combine the salad dressing ingredients in a small mason jar. Whisk with a fork until emulsified.

Assemble the salad

In a large mixing bowl, add sliced cherry tomatoes, quartered cucumber slices, olives, and salad dressing. Mix the dressing thoroughly with the veggies.

Add drained and rinsed orzo, crumbled feta cheese, and baby spinach to the bowl with marinated veggies. Toss to combine—season with salt and pepper. Add more lemon juice if desired.

Nutrition

• Calories: 407 kcal
• Total Fat: 24 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
• Cholesterol: 25 mg
• Sodium: 882 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 38 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4 g
• Total Sugars: 6 g
• Protein: 11 g