Recipe

Orzo Pasta Lunch Salad

By: 

Co+op

Recipe Information

Total Time: 

30 minutes

Servings: 

4

Pack this quick to prepare pasta salad in pint jars for easy weekday lunches.

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • 1/3 cup fresh basil
  • 4 to 5 sun-dried tomato halves, roughly chopped
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • Pinch each of salt and black pepper

Salad

  • 1/2 cup dry orzo pasta
  • 1/2 cup quartered artichoke hearts
  • 1 cup finely-diced red bell peppers
  • 2 cups roughly-chopped fresh spinach
  • 3/4 pound ham, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 4 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Equipment

  • 4 wide-mouth pint canning jars with lids

Preparation

  1. Cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain, chill and set aside.
  2. In a blender or food processor, puree the dressing ingredients until smooth. Set aside.
  3. To assemble the salads in the jars, pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of dressing and then layer a quarter of each of the ingredients into each of the four jars as follows: artichoke hearts, red peppers, spinach, ham, cooked orzo and Parmesan cheese. Place lids tightly onto the jars and refrigerate. Gently stir or shake together the ingredients just before eating.

Serving Suggestion

Make this salad your own by adding olives, feta cheese, salami or cooked garbanzo beans. The salad will last a few days in the refrigerator.

Nutritional Information

332 calories, 15 g. fat, 59 mg. cholesterol, 925 mg. sodium, 26 g. carbohydrate, 4 g. fiber, 8 g. protein