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Strawberry Orzo Spring Salad
The greatest springtime vegetables, delicious strawberries, and blueberries are used. Combined with orzo pasta, crispy bacon, and a creamy strawberry sauce to create the Strawberry Orzo Spring Salad. Then, fresh basil, honey, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, and two types of vinegar are added as flavors. Without cooking or spending a lot of time in preparation, you can receive a wonderful side dish or snack.
Although it is an Italian pasta, orzo is quite well-liked in the Middle East and Mediterranean. Orzo is frequently used in Greek recipes with beef, tomato sauce, and spices. Orzo is used to produce what Muslim cooks refer to as “bird’s tongue soup” during the holy month of Ramadan. Italian for “barley,” orzo was given its name because it resembles the grains of barley.
The ingredients for this delicious orzo strawberry spring salad recipe are few. Some of these include crispy bacon, blueberries, feta, orzo pasta, and strawberries for a mouthwatering combination of sensations in each bite. For even more taste, include your personal favorite fruits and vegetables.
Recipe variations:
- Another oil: You do not have to use olive oil. Try whatever you like to use in salads such as grapeseed or avocado oil.
- Lemon poppy seed vinaigrette dressing: Make this with lemon poppy seed vinaigrette by adding some lemon juice, zest, or extract.
- Add more veggies: Feel free to add other veggies like asparagus, broccoli, snap peas, kale, and cauliflower.
- Add more fruit: Don’t forget the fruit! You can add whatever you like such as blackberries, cranberries, chopped apples, mandarin oranges, and raspberries.
- More herbs and spices: Add any kind of herbs and spices you like. Some favorite options include parsley, thyme, oregano, paprika, and rosemary.
- Make it a meal: Toss in some of your favorite grilled protein to make it a meal. Try our absolutely delicious and easy grilled chicken recipe.
- Different cheese: You could also add some goat cheese or other soft cheese like brie, gorgonzola, camembert, or ricotta.
Add our Crockpot Pork Tenderloin to this for a complete meal
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot (about 1 shallot)
- 1 tablespoon honey (or more)
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon poppy seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salad:
- 1 lb. fresh strawberries (sliced and divided in about 3 cups)
- 1 cup orzo (measured dried and cooked per package instructions)
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 cups baby spring mix (or arugula)
- 4 oz feta cheese (crumbled)
- 1 medium shallot (thinly sliced)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 12 bacon slices (cooked until crispy and coarsely chopped)
- Fresh basil (for garnish)
Strawberry salad dressing:
- Place the Salad Dressing ingredients, except the oil, plus 1 cup of sliced strawberries in a blender.
- Process until smooth, about 30 seconds.
- With the blender running, gradually drizzle in the oil, and process until the mixture is smooth and combined, about 30 seconds more.
Salad:
- Arrange spring mix on a large platter. Top with the cooked orzo, crumbled feta, sliced shallot, tomatoes, and bacon crumbs.
- Add the remaining 2 cups of sliced strawberries, blueberries, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Drizzle the strawberry vinaigrette over the salad.
- Garnish with fresh basil and a light drizzle of balsamic reduction and serve immediately.
