Orzo Salad

This cold orzo salad is built around bold Mediterranean flavors. Sun-dried tomatoes, red bell pepper, sliced olives, scallions, and fresh parsley tossed with a tangy mustard-red wine vinaigrette create a colorful, flavor-packed dish that tastes even better after chilling.

Orzo’s small, rice-like shape catches the vinaigrette in every groove and soaks up flavor as it sits. The two-hour chill time isn’t just about temperature. It lets the dressing absorb into the pasta and the flavors meld together.

Soaking the sun-dried tomatoes in boiling water for ten minutes before chopping rehydrates them from tough and leathery to plump and chewy. They add concentrated bursts of tangy sweetness that fresh tomatoes can’t match in a cold salad.

Chef Tips

• Cook the orzo without salt or fat as directed. You want a clean base that absorbs the vinaigrette flavors, not competes with them.
• Toss the dressing with the pasta while it’s still warm. Warm pasta absorbs more dressing than cold.
• Make this ahead. It holds well in the fridge for 2-3 days and the flavor improves overnight.

Variations

• Add crumbled feta cheese and diced cucumber for a more Greek-inspired salad.
• Stir in a handful of artichoke hearts or roasted red peppers for extra Mediterranean character.
• Toss in cooked shrimp or diced grilled chicken to make it a main course.