Orzo Salad With Peppers and Feta
Updated June 17, 2021
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1pound orzo
- Kosher salt and pepper
- ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1½ cups)
- 3large or 4 medium red, yellow or orange bell peppers (about 1¼ pounds), cored, seeded and chopped into ½-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
- 1fresh thyme sprig
- 1tablespoon minced garlic
- 1medium tomato, diced into ½-inch pieces
- 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
- 4ounces feta cheese, thinly sliced or crumbled
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
454 calories; 15 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 67 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 616 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Cook orzo in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, pressing out excess liquid. Spread out on a baking sheet to cool.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion, bell peppers and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato and cook, stirring occasionally, until broken down and juices release, about 8 minutes.
- Step 3
Add the reserved pasta water and stir to scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the skillet. Transfer vegetable mixture to a large bowl to cool slightly to lukewarm, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to speed up the cooling process. Discard thyme sprig.
- Step 4
Add cooled orzo, lemon juice, basil and cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix well, then transfer to a large serving bowl or platter. Garnish with more basil.
Private Notes
Comments
Followed recipe exactly except used only half pound of orzo and added 1 can of drained, rinsed cannellini beans for our dinner. I added veg mix to beans and allowed the flavors to come together for an hour, then added orzo. Served with green salad on the side. Excellent.
I improvised exactly this dinner last night based on the remains of my fridge. Then I found the same recipe in the Times Cooking section today. The only difference in my preparation was that I warmed the feta cheese at the end with the sauteed veg. Also added some of the pasta water to make it a bit more saucy. Was super tasty.
I made this last night as a side to grilled swordfish. It was a delicious accompaniment. My only departure from the recipe was that I used HALF the amount of orzo; IMO, to use a full pound would necessitate doubling the amount of vegetables/sauce. And it was plenty for four people. One could use most any vegetable in this recipe.
What do you think of adding pickled red onions?
The only things that matters what YOU think.
I never met a pasta recipe that needed the whole pound of pasta it called for. I used about two-thirds of the orzo here and subbed dried thyme for the sprig. I used a three-pack of multi-colored peppers and San Marzano tomatoes and basil from the garden. Delicious! This recipe will now be on repeat with grilled chicken.
While no recipe "needs" any particular ingredient, a pasta recipe surely features pasta. If you don't like a lot of pasta, say that, but please don't tell the rest of us what the recipe doesn't need.
I’ve made this several times, and we’ve always enjoyed it. Recently, I found I was out of orzo and used farfalle instead (half the amount shown in the recipe, as many have suggested). This really changed the whole texture of the dish. Stick with the orzo!