Lemon orzo salad – fresh, lemonny, lots of crunchy veggies and a fresh vinaigrette dressing.
Orzo or Risoni pasta is a short grain, rice-shaped pasta, it is often used in soups, salads and also replaced in risotto dishes at times. This short-grain pasta works best with light broths, fresh flavours. Also used in Greek cooking a lot and is a great side dish to go with meatballs. (Which I am excited about trying very soon!)
This super fresh salad comes together in no time, olive oil, apple cider, honey mustard and fresh basil leaves! Can’t wait to experiment more with orzo this summer!
Check out some of my favourite summer pastas –
Spaghetti al Limone
Vegan pumpkin gnocchi
Hummus pasta
Capellini with courgette and lemon
Also check out this super fresh tofu donburi bowl here!
Ingredients for Lemon orzo salad – serves 3 to 4
- Orzo pasta – 1/2 cup
- Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
- Salt – 1/8 tsp
- Red bell pepper – 1 cup, chopped
- Yellow bell pepper – 1 cup, chopped
- Red onions – 1 cup, sliced
- Cucumber – 1, sliced (approx 8″)
- Basil leaves – 1/2 cup, chopped
For the dressing
- Extra virgin olive oil – 2 tbsp
- Apple cider vinegar – 1 tbsp
- Honey mustard – 1/2 tsp
- Honey – 1 tbsp
- Salt and pepper – to taste
Method for the Lemon orzo salad
- Start by cooking the orzo pasta. Add the pasta to a pan, add lemon juice and salt and 1/4 cup water. Stir and cook on medium heat until the water gets absorbed.
- Keep adding 2 tbsp of water at a time and stirring occasionally for about 8-10 minutes till the pasta is completely cooked. Unlike while making risotto, you don’t need to stir it constantly. As it is made of flour, chances that the pasta will overcook in no time are fairly less. However, you must keep stirring to keep it from burning.
- In a bowl, combine the EVOO, honey, honey mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk well.
- Add all the fresh veggies to a salad bowl, and combine the cooked orzo with it. Mix well.
- Pour the salad dressing on top and mix again.
- Top with chopped fresh basil leaves and enjoy!
Lemon Orzo salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup Orzo
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- ⅛ tsp Salt
- 1 cup Red Bell Pepper chopped
- 1 cup Yellow bell pepper chopped
- 1 cup Red onions sliced
- 1 Cucumber sliced
- ½ cup Basil chopped
For the salad dressing
- 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp Honey mustard
- 1 tbsp Honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the pasta to a pan, add lemon juice and salt and 1/4 cup water. Stir and cook on medium heat until the water gets absorbed.Keep adding 2 tbsp of water at a time and stirring occasionally for about 8-10 minutes till the pasta is completely cooked.
- In a bowl, combine the EVOO, honey, honey mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk well.
- Add all the fresh veggies to a salad bowl, and combine the cooked orzo with it. Mix well.
- Pour the salad dressing on top and mix again.
- Top with chopped fresh basil leaves and enjoy!
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