I am so excited to share with you one of my all time favorite recipes. This summer orzo summer salad recipe just screams summer. I first had it when we lived in Virginia Beach. My cousin fixed something like this and it was a recipe I just could not get off my mind. It’s got a sweet flavor that’s unique and refreshing. Making it this past weekend brought me back to nights we would spend playing Settlers of Catan when my now six year old was only a newborn. We would put him to sleep and enjoy dinner and games together. What a sweet time that was.
My favorite thing about this recipe is how quick and easy it is to make. It’s the perfect side for a steak dinner or hamburgers. Or it can stand alone, which is how we had it a few nights ago to celebrate the official start of summer.
To make the summer orzo summer salad recipe you will need:
2 Cups Earthbound Farm Kale Italia mix
1/2 Cup Dried Cherries
1/4 Cup Toasted Pine Nuts
12 Fresh Basil Leaves
1 1/2 tsp Salt
Pepper
3/4 Cup Feta
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
16 oz Orzo Pasta
3 TB Lemon Juice
1 tsp pepper
The Earthbound Farm Kale Italia is a mix of baby kale, tangy mizuna, and Italian greens: arugula and radicchio. It’s perfect for this recipe because it doesn’t overpower it but give it great flavor. You can grab a coupon here.
Boil the orzo pasta according to the directions. Drain and place on a large cookie sheet to cool. I added some olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together. While the pasta was cooling, I grabbed everything else I needed for the recipe. I let the pasta cool for about 10 minutes or so. I like the pasta to be warm but not the boiling hot that it is when it comes out of the pot.
Take the cool pasta and add it to a large bowl. Add the Earthbound Farm Kale Italia, the dried cherries and the toasted pine nuts.
Give it a good toss with 1/4 a cup of olive oil and the lemon juice.
Add the feta cheese.
And give it one final toss!
Yum! You’re ready to eat this summer goodness. You can let it sit while you grill as the flavors love to soak in with one another. But if you’re like me, you’ll be digging in right away.
This recipe makes quite a bit. It was enough for my husband and I to enjoy two days in a row. And it was just as good the second day!
In fact it was so good, I’m planning to make it again this week when we have company!
Enjoy!
- 2 Cups Earthbound Farm Kale Italia mix
- ½ Cup Dried Cherries
- ¼ Cup Toasted Pine Nuts
- 12 Fresh Basil Leaves
- 1½ tsp Salt
- Pepper
- ¾ Cup Feta
- ¼ Cup Olive Oil
- 16 oz Orzo Pasta
- 3 TB Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp pepper
- Boil the orzo pasta until fully cooked. Drain and place on cooking sheet drizzled with olive oil to cool.
- Toast the pine nuts.
- Once the orzo pasta has returned to about room temperature, add it to a large boil.
- Add the Kale Italia, dried cherries, toasted pine nuts, basil, salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. Toss.
- Add the feta and toss again.
- Serve and enjoy!
Recipe inspiration found here.
This conversation is sponsored by Earthbound Farm. The opinions and text are all mine.
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