This Arugula Orzo Salad is a great and refreshing summer recipe and it is one of my favorite salads for entertaining.
This recipe was adapted from an Orzo Salad by Giada De Laurentiis. I changed some of the ingredients to my taste and it's wonderful. I love the combination of textures, colors and flavors.
Ingredients You'll Need
The printable recipe card with exact amounts and cooking directions is below.
Orzo: It's a small shaped pasta and it's perfect to make salads.
Arugula: Fresh good quality arugula is the base for this salad.
Lemons: Fresh lemon juice to make the vinaigrette. It goes perfect with the rest of the ingredients.
Olive Oil: A good quality olive oil to make a good vinaigrette.
Basil: You need fresh basil to make this salad.
Cranberries: They add the perfect combination of sweet and tart flavors to this salad.
Feta Cheese: You can replace it with ricotta salata y you prefer.
Salt and Pepper: To add flavor
Pinenuts: Use good quality nuts for this recipe
How to Make this Arugula and Orzo Salad
- Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until tender, but still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta and set aside to cool.
- Place the arugula, basil, pine nuts, and cranberries in a large salad bowl, mix well and then add the orzo.
- Mix together the lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the salad and mix well.
- Add the feta cheese and toss together, using 2 forks until well mixed. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Cooking Notes
You can make this salad ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until ready to serve. I prefer adding the dressing before serving, because the arugula can get soggy.
More Salad Recipes
Tomates Rellenos de Atún (Tuna Salad Stuffed Tomatoes)
Ají de Huevo (Colombian Egg Spicy Salad)
Ensalada de Aguacate y Tomate( Avocado and Tomato Salad)
Potato, Chicken and Apple Salad
Arugula Orzo Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound orzo pasta
- 5 lemons
- Salt
- 1 ½ cups dried cranberries
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 1 ½ cups pine nuts
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 oz baby arugula
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 cups feta cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until tender, but still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta and set aside to cool.
- Place the arugula, basil, pine nuts, and cranberries in a large salad bowl, mix well and then add the orzo.
- Mix together the lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the salad and mix well.
- Add the feta cheese and toss together, using 2 forks until well mixed. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Jg
About how much lemon juice should you use? Some lemons are much juicier than others and last time I made this it was too tart. Love this salad!
kristen
Can I make the salad the day before?
Erica Dinho
Yes, but it is better fresh.
Tammy
This is a delicious and easy recipe! I was wondering if the “1lb orzo” is pre or posted cooked weight?
Erica Dinho
precooked
Anonymous
I love it so refreshing!!!and so delicious
JD
I agree that posting and giving a recipe stars when you haven't made it defeats the whole purpose. I'm going to look for recipes that people have actually made before I commit to cooking or commenting.
Erin
This is my go-to recipe for potlucks. It travels well and is always a favorite!
Anonymous
Hi Erica,
I plan on making your salad this weekend, can't wait! Sorry if I missed it but- about how many servings do you get from these measurements? Thanks!!
Amanda
I recently had an orzo salad at an Au Bon Pain while visiting Nashville, TN. It was SO good I went back later that day to buy more. I couldn't wait to get home and [try to] make MORE of it. If I hadn't been in public I would've licked the bowl. Alas, their website menu does not include this dish. Yours, however, seems to include everything I remember. THANK YOU for posting this! I can't wait to try it out.
Anonymous
I made this salad and it was perfect and delicious. I followed all the steps.
belgils
Hi Erika, I wish the fans that write comments on you recipes, do so AFTER they have actually tried them. "Looks delicious"...." sounds delicious".... "I will ke it soon".... does not actually tell the story. I DID, however, put this dish together... and It WAS great!!!. So are a number of others I have ACTUALLY cooked and enjoyed; I will always look for more. So fans..... get cooking and tell us about it.
belgil