Orzo Salad with Oranges
Summery and tangy, this orzo salad can be made ahead and refrigerated so you can get out of the kitchen and outdoors!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1/2 fresh, sweet Cara Cara orange peeled, de-skinned and broken into pieces
- 1/2 blood orange peeled, de-skinned and broken into pieces
- 1/2 cup cucumbers chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1/2 cup tomatoes chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1 cup orzo
For the dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar substitute with lemon or lime juice
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Choose any variety of oranges that are available and pick the sweeter ones for this salad. I used 1/2 of a blood orange and 1/2 of a Cara Cara orange.
- Remove the peels and strings of the oranges. Remove the outer skin and discard it.Break the sweet inner flesh into bite size pieces by hand to retain as much juice as possible.Place the equivalent of 1 cup full of orange pieces in a large bowl.
- Bring 3 cups water to a boil and add 1 cup raw orzo to it. Cook as per directions (about 8-10 minutes).Drain the pasta when cooked and add to the bowl. Save 1/2 cup of the drained pasta water.
- Add 1/2 cup chopped cucumbers and 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes to the bowl.
- Prepare the dressing:1/4 cup olive oil1/4 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed from the remaining oranges or store bought)1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (substitute with lemon or lime juice)1 tsp dried Italian herbs1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes1 tsp salt1 tsp pepperWhisk all the ingredients till frothy and cloudy.
- Pour over the warm pasta, oranges and veggies in the bowl.Mix gently till everything is coated with the dressing.Serve with a side of crusty bread.