Giada De Laurentiis Orzo Salad Recipes

SWEET AND TANGY ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• For the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
• For the salad: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until soft and golden brown, about 12 minutes. Add the onions to the dressing and stir to coat.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the orzo until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain it well and, while it is still warm, add to the bowl of dressed onions. Stir in the fennel and dried cranberries and allow to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Add the arugula and mozzarella and toss to combine. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Cook's Note: If serving the next day, a drizzle of olive oil will help to bring this salad back to life.

TRI-COLORE ORZO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and put the pasta on a large cookie sheet. Drizzle the pasta with 3 tablespoons olive oil, toss, spread out, and set aside to cool.
• Once the orzo is cool, transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently to combine. Serve.

ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Pour the broth into a heavy large saucepan. Cover the pan and bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Stir in the orzo. Cover partially and cook until the orzo is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Drain the orzo through a strainer. Transfer the orzo to a large wide bowl and toss until the orzo cools slightly. Set aside to cool completely.
• Toss the orzo with the beans, tomatoes, onion, basil, mint, and enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve at room temperature.
• Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if desired.
• Yield: 1 3/4 cups

CRISPY ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• For the dressing: Whisk together the olive oil, tapenade, vinegar, oregano and chili paste in a large bowl. Season with the salt.
• For the salad: Add the chopped romaine, roasted red pepper, fennel, provolone and salami to the dressing. Toss well to coat.
• For the pasta: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the par-cooked pasta and fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a paper towel-lined plate and season with the salt. Sprinkle the crispy orzo over the top of the salad and serve.

ORZO WITH SAUSAGE, PEPPERS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Using tongs, place the bell peppers over a gas flame. Cook, turning occasionally, until the skins are charred on all sides, about 5 to 6 minutes. (Alternatively, place the peppers on a baking sheet and broil for 5 to 8 minutes, until charred.) Place the charred peppers in a medium bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the peppers to steam for 20 minutes. Under running water, peel away the charred skin from the peppers. Pat the peppers dry with paper towels. Remove the stem and seeds from the peppers and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock, water, and kosher salt to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• While the pasta is cooking: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the turkey sausage and saute until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the bell peppers, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes, if using, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
• Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the sausage mixture, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss well to combine all ingredients, adding reserved cooking liquid, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Top with the ricotta salata and sprinkle with the remaining parsley. Serve.