Garden Herb Orzo Salad

Total Time: 54 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 9 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 16 ounces orzo pasta
• 1 cup pitted & chopped kalamata olive
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1 cup chopped roasted red sweet pepper
• 4 ounces creamy plain goat cheese
• 8 ounces of newman's own balsamic vinaigrette
• 1 tablespoon loose chives
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh marjoram
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon basil leaves
• 1/3 cup fresh purple basil leaves
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Recipe

• 1 bring a large pot of water to boil and cook orzo according to directions for al dente. i used garafalo brand orzo and it cooks perfectly in 9 minutes.
• 2 while orzo is cooking, chop the red onion, kalamata olives and roasted red peppers. i don't chop too finely, but that is a matter of personal choice.
• 3 once the orzo is done, drain it and put it into a large work bowl.
• 4 while orzo is hot, add 1/4 of the bottle of newmans's balsamic vinaigrette. stir.
• 5 next, while the orzo is still hot, add the goat cheese. if the cheese comes in a log, you may want to slice it before adding. blend.
• 6 it's important to add the goat cheese while the orzo is hot. this allows it to blend and become part of the dressing. it takes a few minutes to make sure the goat cheese and dressing blend well. there will not be a lot of sauce. the pasta may be a bit dry at this point.
• 7 once the goat cheese is all blended, add the olives, onion and peppers. mix well.
• 8 add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mix. salad will not be very wet. let cool for about 10 minutes.
• 9 gather the fresh herbs, rinse them and finely chop. you should have about 1/4 cup once all the herbs are finely chopped.
• 10 add the herbs to the salad and blend.
• 11 add another 1/4 of the bottle of balsamic dressing and mix.
• 12 salt & pepper to taste. i don't use too much salt as i feel the olives can be somewhat salty.
• 13 you can add a bit more olive oil if needed. i usually add a few splashes at the end.
• 14 this salad is not dripping in dressing. if you prefer more liquid, feel free to use more of the balsamic dressing.
• 15 i let this salad rest for a few hours for flavors to meld.
• 16 i think it is best served at room temperature.
• 17 feel free to experiment with whatever herbs you like or have on hand. i think the key is to use fresh herbs for this salad.