I sure hope spring is in full swing where you are by now. I’m seeing that it’s almost May and I’m breaking out my shorts and flip flops, planting my garden veggies and flowers and setting my sights on all the summer salads and picnic and BBQ sides. ❤️ Like today’s recipe for southwestern orzo salad. It’s a hearty side dish, full of black beans and fresh veggies, and has a creamy cilantro-lime dressing that takes just minutes to make in your blender and coats every last bit of pasta. Plus, we’re adding some crumbled queso fresco for an extra dose of creaminess. Cause cheese is never a bad idea. I also love that this salad keeps well because the leftovers make a delicious lunch. Last time I made it, I actually just snacked on the leftovers mid-afternoon. Don’t judge. And of course, whenever there’s food out, my little munchkins come running. They are totally my kids. 😉 I offered them a small bite and they both loved this southwestern orzo salad! Kept wanting one more bite, and pretty soon, my snack was gone and I was still hungry. Ah, motherhood… So of course I made this salad again the next weekend for us all to enjoy and we chowed down happily, each with our own bowl full. Cause mama’s not big on sharing. Just being honest! This orzo pasta salad is cool and creamy, with a hint of background spice from the jalapeño in the dressing. Don’t worry though, it’s not spicy or my kids would have been dramatically grabbing at their tongues. It’s also got a great bright, fresh flavor bursting through in every bite. We ate it with some spice-rubbed pork chops, but it would go equally well with chicken or steak or anything from the grill. You could even stir in some leftover grilled or rotisserie chicken and make this a full meal.
Recipe Notes:
You need to make this salad in advance to allow the orzo time to cool, so please plan accordingly. Orzo: I like to get whole wheat orzo when I can find it, but it’s not available in many stores. Also, this recipe calls for 10 oz., which is not the whole box if yours comes in a 1 lb. package like mine. It’s about ⅔rds of the box (I eyeball it). Cheese: Queso fresco, or queso blanco, is a mild white Mexican cheese. It’s available in most grocery stores, but if you can’t find it, you can substitute a mild feta cheese (a French style one, not a Greek one) or a mild goat cheese.
If you’re making this ahead, I recommend you keep the dressing separate and mix it into the orzo salad just before you serve it, so the flavors stay nice and bright and fresh. You can also add some extra lime juice and cilantro to punch up the flavors when serving. Or to help the leftovers wake up a bit. Also, in terms of the dressing… The homemade cilantro lime dressing is so quick and easy to make in a blender. But you could substitute a similar store-bought dressing if you prefer. It’s a perfect warm weather salad and can travel well if you’re visiting friends or the park. I like that you can make a big batch to feed a crowd or to have leftovers for lunch or snacking. Assuming you’re lucky enough to get to actually get to eat the leftovers yourself. Enjoy! XO, Kathryn This needs to be made in advance to allow the orzo to cool, so please plan accordingly. Orzo: I like to get whole wheat orzo when I can find it, but it’s not available in many stores. Also, this recipe calls for 10 oz., which s not the whole box if yours comes in a 1 lb. package like mine. It’s about ⅔rds (I eyeball it). Cheese: Queso fresco, or queso blanco, is a mild white Mexican cheese. It’s available in most grocery stores, but if you can’t find it, you can substitute a mild feta cheese (a French style one, not a Greek one) or a mild goat cheese. Dressing: The creamy cilantro lime dressing is so quick and easy to make in a blender. But you could substitute a similar store-bought dressing if you prefer.
