Why this recipe rocks
- Orzo is a great choice for room-temperature salads and side dishes, and this spin on an Italian antipasti platter is a total hit!
- The orzo absorbs all of the delicious flavors of the vinaigrette and basil, and the veggies up the health benefits big time.
- This Italian Orzo Salad is completely adaptable to meet your dietary needs, such as vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
Key Ingredients & Notes
- Orzo: to make this recipe gluten-free, opt for a gluten-free orzo pasta.
- Mozarella: to make this recipe vegan and dairy-free, simply leave out the mozzarella.
- Zucchini: the zucchini gets cooked in garlic and olive oil until tender.
- Cherry Tomatoes: the tomatoes and a beautiful freshness to the salad.
- Roasted red peppers: you can certainly roast your own peppers, if you’d like, but for ease, I prefer using the ones from a jar.
- Black olives: the olives add a delicious salty flavor to the salad. I use pitted black olives, but you are welcome to substitute them for your favorite olive variety.
- Red wine vinaigrette: made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and dried oregano, this vinaigrette is so flavorful and gets absorbed by the orzo pasta!
Storage tips
This Italian pasta salad is a great prep-ahead salad for weekly meal prep or a potluck! To store, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing this salad.
More prep-ahead salads you’ll love
- French Lentil Salad
- Quinoa Salad with Radishes, Currants, and Mint
- Wild Rice Salad with Butternut Squash
Italian Orzo Salad
Orzo is a great choice for room-temperature salads and side dishes, and this spin on an Italian antipasti platter is a total hit! The orzo absorbs all of the delicious flavors of the vinaigrette and basil, and the veggies up the health benefits big time.
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1¼ cups orzo about 8 ounces/ 225 g
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 cup diced zucchini
- ⅔ cup mini mozzarella balls (ciliegine) halved
- ⅓ cup cherry tomatoes quartered
- ⅔ cup diced jarred roasted red peppers
- ¼ cup sliced pitted black olives
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
Red Wine Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- For the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, a few grindings of pepper, and the oregano. Set aside.
- Fill a large saucepan half full of salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 minutes or according to the package instructions. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Add half the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Set aside to cool.
- In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the orzo and let cool.
- To assemble the salad, add the mozzarella, tomatoes, red peppers, olives, basil, and the rest of the vinaigrette to the orzo. Taste, adding more salt if desired.
Notes
- Serves 4-6
- To store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Reprinted from Homemade Simple: Effortless Dishes for a Busy Life, by Amanda Haas with permission from Abrams Books, 2023. Photographs © Kathleen Sheffer.
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