Description
A bright and colorful pasta salad with tender orzo, crisp veggies, tangy feta cheese, and fresh basil tossed in zesty Italian dressing. Perfect for meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup orzo pasta, uncooked
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup kalamata olives, sliced
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- ½ cup Italian dressing
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo for 8-9 minutes until it’s tender but still firm.
- Drain the cooked orzo in a colander and rinse it really well under cold water to stop the cooking process completely and cool it.
- Put the cooled orzo in a large mixing bowl and set it aside while you get the fresh vegetables ready to go.
- Dice the cucumber, cut the cherry tomatoes in half, chop the red onion finely, and slice the kalamata olives on your cutting board.
- Break the feta cheese into small pieces and cut the fresh basil leaves into thin ribbons that look pretty and delicate.
- Add all the veggies, olives, feta cheese, and fresh basil to the bowl with the cooled orzo pasta and mix them together.
- Pour the Italian dressing over everything and toss gently until all the ingredients are coated evenly and look delicious.
- Add salt and black pepper to taste, adjusting how much you use based on what tastes good to you personally.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put the salad in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before eating to blend flavors.
- Give the salad one more toss before serving, adding extra dressing if it needs moisture for better flavor.
Notes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 285 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg