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A wooden spoon taking a scoop of cooked orzo salad with tomatoes, pine nuts, and basil out of a white casserole dish.

Orzo Salad with Tomatoes, Basil and Feta

Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Vinaigrette:

  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey

Salad:

  • 12 ounces orzo pasta
  • 6 cups chicken broth (or water - see note)
  • 2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
  • 1 cup arugula or baby spinach, coarsely chopped
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped chives or green onions
  • 3 tablespoons chopped or torn fresh basil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • ½ cup toasted pine nuts (see note)

Instructions 

  • For the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and honey. Season to taste with a bit of salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • For the salad, cook the orzo in chicken broth until al dente according to package directions. Drain well but do not rinse.
  • Let the pasta cool to room temperature, tossing often so it doesn't stick together. (You can stir in a tablespoon or so of the dressing if the pasta is overly sticky).
  • In a bowl or serving dish, toss the pasta with the tomatoes, arugula/spinach, tomatoes, chives/green onions, and basil.
  • Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to evenly combine.
  • Sprinkle the feta and pine nuts over the top and toss lightly. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Notes

Pine Nuts: To toast the pine nuts, heat them in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, tossing or stirring often until golden, 4 to 5 minutes.
Chicken Broth: You can cook the orzo in water rather than chicken broth, if desired. If doing so, lightly salt the water before adding the orzo to cook.
Make Ahead: If refrigerated longer than an hour this salad may get a bit dry, so if you want to make it in advance, consider increasing the dressing ingredients by half and reserving some of that dressing to pour over the salad right before serving (also, wait to add pine nuts right before serving).