Greek Orzo Salad

CraftScout's Note:

This was modified from a recipe that I got from Celestial Seasonings. Boiling the orzo in peppermint tea really gives the pasta a minty flavor, and a slightly brown look - like it's made from whole wheat pasta. I loved going out to my new garden and picking the fresh herbs for this recipe and loved the way they tasted in this very fresh tasting pasta salad. A note of warning though, this makes 8 meal-sized servings, not side dish servings.

• Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

Salad

• 1 (16 ounce) box orzo pasta
• 4 (2 g) bags peppermint tea
• 1 cucumber, peeled, cut in half and thinly sliced
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup kalamata olive, pitted and sliced
• 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
• 3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

Citronette

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to directions in water with tea bags. This would be a good time to prep the rest of the ingredients.
2. Rinse with cool water.
3. Add remaining ingredients and toss.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together lemon juice asnd Dijon mustard.
5. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly until emulsified.
6. Add remaining ingredients.
7. Toss citronette with orzo salad.
8. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Reviews

[LonghornMama]

Good, simple, and light. Makes a great summer side dish. Bought some lemon, garlic, and oregano feta by mistake but it worked well in this dish. I'd use a purple onion next time, I thought the regular white onion was a little strong, and probably add more mint just cause I love it. Enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

[HannahBoBana]

My whole family loved this! I made it as part of a Mediterranean meal. I served souvlaki, hummus and pita bread and tzatsiki. I will definitely be making this again!