Why I chose this recipe:
My son is a pasta-holic. He “needs’ pasta every single day, 365 days a year. I am not kidding. Needless to say, I am getting tired of making the same old pasta dishes. Given the very warm temperatures this summer, I felt as though I had to switch it up for my own sanity. I also felt it would be good for him to learn that pasta can be delicious even if it isn’t drenched in marinara, bolognese or pesto.
My goal was to make a lighter and more “summery” pasta for my pasta-holic. Since my entire family loves my basil vinaigrette, I thought I could mix it with orzo, throw in some fresh veggies and be done. Fortunately, I had some great ingredients on hand and this salad came out deliciously. Just in case a few of you are in the same boat, I thought I would share this recipe with you. So the next trip to the grocery store, and we all know you pop in for something probably every other day, pick up a box of orzo and basil, whip up my basil vinaigrette, and see how easy it is to Impress Without Stress.
Salad Ingredients
1 lb. orzo, cooked
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup mixed small cherry tomatoes, cut in half
½ cup fresh peas
3 scallions, chopped
4 inches of English cucumber, diced
½ cup Basil Vinaigrette
¼ cup basil, julienned
Basil Vinaigrette Ingredients
4 cups (2 oz.) fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup white balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp dijonnaise mustard
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp agave
Directions
To make Basil Vinaigrette, combine all Basil Vinaigrette ingredients in a food processor.
Process ingredients on high for one minute.
Transfer vinaigrette to a mason jar with lid secured tightly.
Refrigerate Basil Vinaigrette until ready to mix and serve salad.
In a large bowl, combine first six salad ingredients.
Mix to combine.
Drizzle ½ cup of the Basil Vinaigrette over orzo and vegetable mixture and stir to combine thoroughly.
Garnish salad with julienne basil. Can be served immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.