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Orzo Salad with Feta, Mint and Green Onions (serves 8-10)

Ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound orzo
  • 3 red bell peppers cut into 1/2 inch dice
  • 3 yellow bell peppers cut into 1/2 inch dice (I use orange peppers as well…more color!)
  • 4 garlic cloves minced. (I use a tablespoon of minced garlic…this stuff makes my hectic life a tad easier. It’s the small things.)
  • 1/2 cup olive oil divided
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 5 green onions minced
  • 12 ounces feta cheese crumbled
  • 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves, chopped
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts lightly toasted
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Directions

  1. Cook the orzo in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, stirring frequenctly to prevent sticking, about 10 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a baking sheet to cool completely.
  2. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Toss the peppers and garlic in a large roasting pan with 1/4 cup of the olive oil to coat (I wear kitchen gloves and mix this up with my hands…works best in my opinion). Season with salt and black pepper. Broil the mixture, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly blistered, about 20 minutes.
  3. Combine the cooked orzo, broiled peppers, green onions, feta cheese, mint and pine nuts in a large bowl. Toss the salad with lemon juice and enough of the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil to moisten thoroughly. Season the salad to taste with salt and black pepper.
  4. *You can make this salad 1 day ahead, then cover and refrigerate it. Serve cold or at room temp. I like cold best, but both are delish. I usually let sit at least an hour in the fridge before we eat. Makes a great leftover lunch as well!