Sundried Tomato Orzo Pasta
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Have you ever made Sundried Tomato Orzo Pasta? What's not to love about these tiny noodles that soak up all the flavor of sundried tomatoes, lemon and feta cheese?
To say I love orzo pasta is deceiving. I adore it. I created this dish for my dear friend's bridal brunch during her wedding week. To be totally honest, I’d never made orzo before this event, but had eaten it lots of times. How hard could it be?
Turns out, it's as simple as it gets!
Easy Shopping List
- tomatoes
- cucumber
- sweet onion
- Greek balsamic dressing
- orzo pasta
- lemon
- jar sundried tomatoes in oil
- olive tapenade
- fresh basil leaves
- feta cheese
- salt and pepper
How to Make the Best Orzo Pasta
Start by marinating the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion in greek balsamic dressing overnight. It gives the veggies a nice touch of flavor that stands out after the orzo is added.
The next day, boil the orzo pasta until it is al dente. You have to watch it because it cooks very fast. Drain the orzo and place it in a large bowl. Here's a cool tip: you don't need to drain the sun-dried tomatoes. Just pour the entire jar in the bowl (oil and all). The flavorful oil makes this salad delicious!
Squeeze a lemon into the mix, making sure not to include the seeds, and add olive tapenade. Now it's time to add the drained marinated tomatoes, onions and cucumbers. Top off this amazing salad with sprinkles of feta cheese and fresh basil. Ooh La La!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Sundried Tomato Orzo Pasta is a versatile dish. It's great for luncheons, dinner, or a snack in-between. It's light and easy. Plus, it's packed with healthy veggies and herbs.
If you're serving this recipe at an event, your vegetarian guests will love that you provided such a flavorful dish especially for them.
More Salads to Love
- Rainbow Salad
- Strawberry Pecan Salad
- Toasted Pecan Peach Salad
- Steak & Potato Salad
- Rock & Roll Chicken Salad
Recipe Card
Sundried Tomato Orzo Pasta
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Ingredients
- 2 medium tomatoes diced
- 1 medium cucumber diced
- 1 small sweet onion diced
- 1 cup greek balsamic dressing
- 1 lb. orzo pasta boiled and rinsed
- 1 lemon squeezed for juice
- 8.5 oz jar sundried tomatoes in oil
- ⅓ cup olive tapenade
- 4 fresh basil leaves julienned
- ½ cup feta cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Marinate tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in Greek dressing overnight.
- Boil pasta according to directions on package (about 7 to 10 minutes).
- Drain the orzo (ad) and place it in a large dish.
- Add entire jar of sundried tomatoes, oil and all.
- Squeeze the juice from one lemon into the pasta, making sure not to include seeds.
- Add olive tapenade. Mix well.
- Drain dressing from the tomatoes, onions and cucumbers. Add the veggies to pasta and stir.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir well, then sprinkle with feta and fresh basil.
- Garnish with lemon slices if you wish.
Notes
- Orzo pasta tastes even better after it has been refrigerated overnight. Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- If pasta seems dry, you can add the dressing that was used as marinate to the pasta in small increments until it's the right consistency.
- View the Google Web Story for Sun-dried Tomato Orzo!
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
Keep in Touch...
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I like to use Orzo pasta in some of my favorite recipes. This particular recipe is absolutely delicious!!
That's great, Michelle! This is one of my favorite recipes too. 🙂
LOVE this recipe! I have made it several times now - perfect for impressing your guests with ease! So delicious, and so easy to make - it's my go-to for anytime I'm requested to bring a dish for an event.
Thanks so much, Kayla! I'm so happy to hear you've made this dish several times! 🙂
I can’t wait to try this recipe! I love feta cheese and orzo pasta together.
Let me know what you think! 🙂
Do you make the olive tapenade or buy it?
Hey Pam! I bought it at the store for this recipe, but it's easy to make if you have the olives. Just place 2 or 3 types of olives in a blender and pulse it a few times. It's good to go!
Thanks for sharing this, Debi. I fixed it, and loved it! Perfect for people who enjoy Mediterranean Diet foods. I just love your Quiche My Grits recipes; and also the descriptions of Asheville restaurants. I’m ready to be there again!????. Keep on blogging!
Awesome, Karry! It's great to hear you fixed this dish and you loved it! I'm ready for you to be here again too! 🙂
I need this (;
Yes, you do! 🙂