Spinach and Orzo Salad
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Category
Salad
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Cusine
Greek
What do you need?
How to make?
Ingredients
8 ounces orzo pasta
Salt
1/4 cup pine nuts
6 ounces feta cheese, roughly crumbled
2 ounces Kalamata Greek olives pitted, roughly chopped, about 1/2 cup
4 ounces baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped red onion
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch dried basil
Pinch dried tarragon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Bring to a pot of salted water to a rolling boil . Add the orzo to the pot. Leave uncovered, cook on high heat with a vigorous boil for 8-10 minutes until al dente .
Drain. Rinse with cold water to cool quickly.
Toast the pine nuts by heating a small skillet on medium heat. Add the pine nuts and stir occasionally until the pine nuts are lightly browned. Pay attention or you'll burn the pine nuts.
Take half of the spinach and purée it in a food processor or blender, adding one tablespoon of the olive oil. In a large serving bowl mix the spinach purée olive oil mixture in with cooked orzo until the pasta is well coated with the purée.
Roughly chop the other half of the spinach. Then gently mix the spinach, the red onion, feta cheese, pine nuts, and the Kalamata olives in with the orzo.
In a small jar, combine the remaining olive oil , balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, mustard, dried basil, and dried tarragon. Put a lid on the jar and shake to combine. (You can also just whisk together these ingredients in a small bowl, but the jar method works great to get a good emulsion.
Pour over orzo spinach mixture and gently mix in until well incorporated.
Chill for at least an hour before serving.
