Spicy Tomato Basil Orzo Salad

Happy Tuesday! Fall is officially here which means my garden is about ready to retire for the season. Which unfortunately means no more fresh tomatoes and basil. Fortunately I was able to create this delicious recipe before I no longer have fresh organic ingredients to do so. In my opinion, orzo is the most underrated pasta out there. It is often time mistaken as rice but it is in fact pasta. With a similar texture as rice, its easily mistaken.

My favorite part about this recipe is its simplicity. The hardest part is boiling the orzo and chopping up the basil and tomatoes. Other than that, it comes together in seconds. Simple done right is my favorite type of food. This is just that, simple but loaded with flavor. If you are looking for something outside of the norm when it comes to pasta salad, try this for your next get together! It’s light and doesn’t leave you feeling completely unhealthy after you eat it.

Tips & Tricks:

• This makes a TON of salad. If you are not serving a crowd, feel free to cut the recipe in half.
• I used tomatoes out of my garden for this salad, if you don’t have that luxury I would suggest using Roma tomatoes from the store.
• Orzo can be found in the pasta isle by the spaghetti noodles.
• You can adjust the spice level of this salad according to preference. If you like it more spicy, add more cayenne. If you don’t love spice, add less cayenne.

Spicy Tomato Basil Orzo Salad

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• Author: shaemakes
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 15–20 1x

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Description

A delicious orzo salad with a kick! Loaded with fresh tomatoes, basil and a light lemon dressing. Full of flavor but so simple!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 16 oz. package Orzo, cooked and drained
• 3 cups tomatoes, cut into medium sized chunks
• 1 cup basil, cut into thin strips
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne, plus more to taste
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

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Instructions

1. In a small bowl combine oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, cayenne and smoked paprika. Whisk until combined.
2. In a large bowl add orzo, tomatoes and basil.
3. Pour the dressing over top of the orzo and toss to combine.
4. Taste and add more salt and cayenne as needed.
5. Serve immediately or store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Keywords: Orzo, Orzo Salad, Tomato Basil, Fresh Tomatoes, Tomato Basil Orzo Salad, Cold Salad, Garden Tomatoes, Fresh Basil