How to Make Refreshing Summer Orzo Salad - A Step-by-Step Guide

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy light and refreshing dishes that showcase the season's bountiful produce. And what better way to do so than with a refreshing summer orzo salad? This dish is not only a feast for the eyes with its vibrant colors and textures, but it's also a burst of flavor with every bite.

Orzo, a small, rice-shaped pasta, serves as the base of this salad, providing a light and fluffy texture that perfectly complements the other ingredients. This pasta is a versati...

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Ingredients

  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 (16 ounce) package orzo pasta
  • 1 ½ tablespoons butter
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 cup pine nuts
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup pitted kalamata olives
  • 1 (2 ounce) jar capers, with liquid
  • 12 ounces basil-flavored feta cheese
  • 1 (10 ounce) bag fresh spinach leaves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Information

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 35 mins
  • Servings: 8

  • Bring chicken broth to a boil over high heat. Add orzo pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well, then pour orzo into a bowl and toss with butter to keep it from sticking; set aside.
  • While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until garlic softens and the aroma mellows, about 2 minutes. Stir in pine nuts, basil, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir until pine nuts have toasted to a light golden brown.
  • Stir pine nut mixture into orzo along with olives, capers, and feta cheese. Toss in spinach and lemon juice.
  • Serve either warm or cold, but it's better the next day.
  • Nutrition

    554 cal.

    • Total Fat: 32g
    • Saturated Fat: 11g
    • Cholesterol: 44mg
    • Sodium: 1004mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 50g
    • Dietary Fiber: 4g
    • Total Sugars: 5g
    • Protein: 19g
    • Vitamin C: 12mg
    • Calcium: 273mg
    • Iron: 5mg
    • Potassium: 420mg