No more mayonnaise-filled calorie bombs. It’s time to re-invent pasta salad! This healthy orzo salad incorporates a medley of fresh, Tuscan-inspired ingredients, including arugula, tomatoes and Pecorino Romano cheese. And if orzo’s not your thing, substitute your choice of nutrient-rich quinoa or barley. Add in some EVOO and roasted garlic, and you’ve got yourself a flavorful, yet simple pasta salad.
Tuscan Orzo Salad Recipe
Serves 10
[skinnybox]
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients
3 cups arugula
1-2 large tomatoes
1 box orzo pasta
2 cloves garlic
½ cup of your best olive oil
½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400 ° F.
- To roast the garlic, slice off the head so that all cloves are exposed. Drizzle olive oil on cloves. Wrap in aluminum foil and place in oven for 35 minutes.
- Bring 4-6 quarts of water to a boil, and cook orzo according to package instructions. Let pasta cool completely.
- Chop tomatoes and grate the cheese.
- When garlic is roasted and cooled, peel the cloves. Smash several of the cloves with a fork, leaving a few cloves whole.
- In a large bowl, mix cooled pasta with arugula, tomatoes, roasted garlic and cheese. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
For more recipes from Emily, check out www.emsbytes.com.