PASTA SALAD

Pasta Salad image

Not your typical pasta salad; it's better:D I got it from a coworker and I tweaked it at home. It came out so well I thought I would post it. Its popularity at work was due to adding dressing sparingly. Start with a quarter cup, then taste and adjust if you think it's necessary. I've included instructions for a low-fat Italian dressing that I made with an envelope of Good Seasons Italian dressing mix. If you're not concerned about your fat intake, you can follow package directions (or use your favorite Italian dressing). I was able to make this in 20 minutes by cutting veggies while orzo was cooking and served it as a one dish meal. A good pot luck dish too (can be doubled easily).

Provided by Kumquat the Cats fr

Categories One Dish Meal

Time 20m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 18

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Ingredients

1 cup orzo pasta
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1/2 cup sun-dried tomato, cut into strips (not packed in oil)
1 yellow bell peppers (capsicum) or 1 orange bell pepper, cut into strips (capsicum)
1/2 small red onion, diced
15 kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley or 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 ounces feta or 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon pepper (to taste)
1 (2/3 ounce) package good seasons Italian salad dressing mix
1/4 cup cider vinegar (I like to use a bit more vinegar and reduce water accordingly)
1 teaspoon sesame oil or 1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup water, plus
3 tablespoons water

Steps:

Cook orzo in 2 quarts water for 8-10 minutes or according to package directions and drain.
Add other ingredients up to Italian dressing mix and toss gently with a large spoon.
Combine the vinegar with 3 tablespoons water. Add Italian dressing mix and shake well. Add oil and rest of water and shake well. Measure out a quarter cup, pour over salad and toss gently.
Taste and add more dressing (a little at a time) if desired. Can be served immediately, at room temperature or chilled.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 327.8, Fat 8.1, SaturatedFat 3.3, Cholesterol 15.6, Sodium 827.2, Carbohydrate 53.3, Fiber 12, Sugar 5.8, Protein 13.3

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