Summer Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad with Fresh Basil

Summer Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad with Fresh Basil puts red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice and sugar or honey at the center of a salad recipe and finishes in about 40 minutes, enough for 8 Servings.

• Yield 8 Servings
• Ready in 40 minutes
• Prep 20 minutes
• Cook 20 minutes

Ingredients

Lemon Vinaigrette

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon sugar or honey
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of black pepper

Vegetables

• 2 cups broccoli florets in bite-size pieces
• 2 medium zucchini , diced in bite-size pieces
• 1 red pepper , seeded, stemmed and diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Salad

• 8 ounces orzo pasta
• 1 to 2 cups cherry tomatoes , halved
• ¼ to ½ cup torn or chopped fresh basil
• ¼ cup feta cheese , crumbled
• ¼ to ½ cup toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds

Instructions

1. For the vinaigrette, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, sugar or honey, olive oil, salt and pepper until emulsified and well-combined. Set aside (this can be made several days in advance and refrigerated - just whisk together again before using).
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
3. Toss the vegetables with the olive oil and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes; give them a good stir and cook for 10-15 minutes more until tender.
4. While the vegetables cook, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook the orzo until al dente. Immediately after cooking and draining, add the orzo to a serving bowl, drizzle on half of the vinaigrette dressing and toss to combine.
5. Scrape the roasted vegetables into the bowl with the orzo and give it a good stir. Add the cherry tomatoes and fresh basil and toss to combine. Add the rest of the vinaigrette and stir until everything is evenly coated. Sprinkle the feta cheese and pine nuts on top. Serve immediately at room temperature.

Dress it just before it goes to the table so the leaves stay crisp.