Orzo Salad

If you’re looking for a great make-ahead salad recipe, look no further than this Orzo Salad. It’s best served cold and, as it sits, the flavors continue to deepen, making it oh, so flavorful.

I love pasta salad, but I wanted to make it a bit healthier. So, for this recipe, I cut back on the orzo, added some wild rice and then loaded in the veggies.

One key step that sets this salad apart from the rest is the ice bath for the orzo and wild rice. Make them both according to package directions and then, once cooked, drain off the water and put the orzo and rice into an ice bath to stop the cooking. It prevents the pasta and grain from overcooking and becoming gummy. Plus, they hold up better as the salad sits in the refrigerator to let the flavors marinate.

Prepping the Vegetables

The vegetables and other mix-ins in this salad not only add to the texture and flavor, they add to the color with hues of purple, red, green and orange.

Start by dicing a large shallot with a 5″ Petite Santoku to get about four tablespoons.

Then chop some dried cranberries with Cutco’s 4″ Vegetable Knife. It’s a great size for cutting smaller ingredients.

For dicing the green, red and orange bell peppers, a well-rounded prep knife like the 7-5/8″ Petite Chef is a good choice.

You can use the same knife to chop the fresh basil and the parsley.

With all the veggies prepped and ready, all that’s left is to dress the salad and let those flavors blend as it sits in the refrigerator.

Making the Dressing

I played around with a bunch of different flavors for the dressing and landed on these ingredients. Hands down, it’s the best dressing recipe I’ve ever come up with.

While the list of ingredients seems long, there is nothing really out of the ordinary and they should be easy to find. There are also no exotic flavors or spices to concern yourself with.

The dressing is similar to a vinaigrette, but has a bit of sweetness thanks to the addition of honey. Other flavors include white balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, pepper and salt, fresh basil and parsley. It’s all mixed together with the exception of some canola oil and olive oil. Add those in slowly after the other ingredients are incorporated.

The Flavor and Texture

I’m a big texture person and I like to have a little crunch in my salads. This Orzo Salad has layers of texture from the softness of the orzo and rice to the crunchy vegetables.

It is best after sitting in the refrigerator for a few hours, but it’s even better if it sits overnight. It can be served cold, but also at room temperature, which is nice because you don’t have to worry about it sitting out.

This is a great make-ahead recipe. Share it at your next potluck gathering, but bring copies of the recipe, because everyone will ask for it.