Description
Italian Orzo Salad is a refreshing and flavorful pasta salad featuring tender orzo, fresh vegetables, tangy salami, and a vibrant homemade dressing with pesto and Parmesan. This easy-to-make dish can be served immediately or chilled, making it perfect for lunch, potlucks, or light dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 cup uncooked DeLallo orzo
Vegetables & Add-ins
- 1 cup little tomatoes (grape, cherry, etc.), halved
- 3/4 cup chopped cucumber
- 1/3 cup chopped pepperoncini peppers
- 1/2 cup DeLallo Castelvetrano olives (or black olives), sliced
- 3 tablespoons chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup diced salami
- 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons DeLallo pesto
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Orzo: Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook the orzo pasta following the package instructions, about 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain and toss with about a teaspoon of olive oil to prevent sticking. Transfer to a colander and allow to fully cool.
- Make the Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, mayonnaise, white vinegar, DeLallo pesto, granulated sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Prepare the Vegetables and Meats: While the orzo cools, halve the little tomatoes, chop the cucumber, pepperoncini peppers, and red onion, slice the olives, dice the salami, shave the Parmesan cheese, and thinly slice the fresh basil.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large salad bowl, add the cooled orzo along with the prepared vegetables, salami, olives, Parmesan, and basil. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly until everything is evenly coated. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Chill or Serve: Serve the salad immediately for a fresh taste or cover and chill it for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to meld beautifully before serving.
Notes
- For best flavor, let the salad chill for at least 1-2 hours before serving.
- You can substitute salami with pepperoni or cooked pancetta for variation.
- Use any small grape or cherry tomatoes available for convenience.
- Adjust pesto quantity based on your preference for herbaceous flavor.
- To make it vegetarian, omit salami and add more veggies like artichoke hearts or roasted peppers.
