Tuscan Orzo Vegetable Salad
Lovely summer salad with myriad flavors that meld beautifully!
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup orzo
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes cut in half
- ½ medium red onion thinly sliced
- 12 ounce marinated artichoke hearts drained
- 15 ounce chickpeas drained
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil cut into thin strips
- 2 Tablespoons fresh chives chopped
- 1 Tablespoon capers
Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley chopped fine
- ½ teaspoon salt more or less
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook orzo according to package, drain, rinse, set aside.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, thinly slice the red onion, finely chop the chives, and cut the basil into long thin strips. Strain the artichoke hearts from the liquid they are sitting in and set aside. Lastly, strain and rinse the canned chickpeas and pat them dry.
- For the vinaigrette, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, parsley, salt, and black pepper to a medium bowl and whisk together.
- Add the tomato halves, red onion, chives, basil, marinated artichoke hearts, chickpeas, capers, to the vinaigrette bowl. Mix together until all the veggies are coated. Add in the orzo and mix well.
- Serve immediately or chill for 1-2 hours for an even better flavor!