Hi! I’m back from my two-week European vacation. The time flew by in the blink of an eye and I already miss the delicious food and delightful ambiance. The highlights?
- Perusing the goods and chowing down on beer-battered fish and chips at Borough Market
- Sitting down to a fresh, homemade breakfast at B&B De ZIL each morning before dancing the day away at Tomorrowland, July 20-21
- Savoring a slice of apple pie at Winkel 43
- Sampling an assortment of seafood at El Quim de la Boqueria
- Lingering over lunch at The Green Spot
- Feasting on fideuà and paella at La Perla Restaurant
In fact, it feels like ages ago since I whipped up this orzo pasta salad with basil and charred red cabbage for an impromptu family get-together on July 4. But I do not forget preparing and polishing off the dish.
Orzo pasta salad with basil is full of flavor and texture and is the perfect recipe when you’re in a rush. Serve the mélange as soon as you make it or slightly chilled alongside chicken, fish or shrimp.
Recipe adapted from IndustryEats.
Orzo Pasta Salad with Basil and Charred Red Cabbage
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
- ½ small head red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 10 ounces orzo
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, removed from oil and chopped
- ½ cup chopped Kalamata olives
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup chopped toasted pecans (see notes)
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- ½ cup aged goat cheese crumbles
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat broiler. Place cabbage on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat. Arrange cabbage in a single layer and broil for 6 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Cook orzo according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
- In a large bowl, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil and balsamic vinegar; stir to combine. Add orzo and toss to combine. Let cool to room temperature.
- Add charred red cabbage, pecans, basil, goat cheese and garlic and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Notes
To toast raw pecans, cook them in a fry pan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let cool and then chop.
This was delicious!! We had it alongside our leg of lamb and though I had to make a couple of switch outs based on what we had in the cabinet (thanks quarantine!) everything came out A-mazing! Thank you so much!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Heather! Love that you made it your own based on the ingredients you had on hand!