The Ultimate Orzo Salad

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo pasta

• 1 cup corn kernels (from 1–2 ears of corn or canned)

• 2 - red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, finely chopped

• 1/2 red onion, diced

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (You can honestly use almost any kind of tomato, chopped)

• 1 cucumber, diced

• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

For the Dressing:

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• Juice of 1 lemon (about 2–3 tablespoons)

• 1 to 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1 to 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp kosher salt - plus more to taste

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Be sure to adjust and LOVE the flavor of the dressing before adding it to the salad. Play around with the ingredients and adjust the amount of oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt, garlic, and vinegar to your desired preference.

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo according to the package instructions.

2. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool.

3. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked orzo, corn, bell peppers, red onion, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, and basil.

5. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is well coated.

6. Serve immediately at room temperature or chill in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes to let the flavors meld.