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Orzo Salad with Roasted Tomatoes

This is a great go-to side dish for a potluck party. Make it a main meal by adding more veggies, feta cheese, or chicken.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Chef Julie Yoon

Ingredients

For the Tomatoes

  • 1 pint grape tomatoes
  • ½ teaspoon each of salt & pepper or more to taste
  • Olive oil to coat the tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

For the Orzo

  • 8 cups chicken broth + water if necessary
  • 1 pound orzo (1 box)
  • ¼ cup olive oil

For the Dressing

  • 2 cloves of garlic finely minced
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup of orange juice
  • Half of a red onion very thinly sliced
  • The juice from half of a lemon
  • 1-2 packed cups fresh baby spinach leaves
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Place the tomatoes on the baking sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and coat them well, using your hands to toss. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and chopped fresh or dried thyme. Place in the oven until they slightly burst from their skin, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
  • Thinly slice up half of a red onion and place in a bowl along with the juice from half of a lemon. Toss together. This will slightly pickle the onion and remove the strong spicy bite.
  • Meanwhile, in a pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the orzo, stir and cook on medium heat until tender, but still a little firm. Do not overcook or it can become mushy. Add a little water if the chicken broth gets absorbed too quickly. Make sure to stir the orzo occasionally. Drain in a colander to get rid of any excess liquid, if any, and spread the orzo out on a baking sheet to cool. Set aside.
  • Place the olive oil in a small bowl with a couple pinches of salt. Add the minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and stir to mix. Set aside. Set aside the ¼ cup of orange juice separately.
  • Grab a big mixing or serving bowl to assemble. Place the slightly cooled orzo, pickled red onion slices (either drained or with lemon juice added), spinach leaves and roasted tomatoes into the bowl. Pour in the orange juice first, then the garlic oil, and toss all together. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve at room temperature, chilled, or heated!