Looking for a delicious Orzo Pasta Salad recipe to make for your next barbecue or picnic? My pasta salad has pepperoni, homegrown tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and mozzarella cheese all tossed in a delicious herb sauce. This recipe comes together in under a half hour, and can be made the day before.
Boil a pot of water for the pasta. Add the 1 tablespoon of salt to the water and cook orzo according to box instruction (about 12 minutes or until soft).
Drain the orzo in a colander and run under cool water until the pasta is at room temperature. Place pasta in a large container.
In a glass bowl add the Gourmet Garden Italian Herbs Paste, water, and olive oil. Whisk until smooth.
Pour the Italian herb dressing over the cooked orzo.
Next mix in the tomatoes, mozzarella, cucumbers, olives, and pepperoni slices. Mix well until everything is incorporated.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Gourmet Garden Italian Herbs Paste - This can be found in the produce section. You will need one whole tube for this recipe. If you can't find that I suggest you place ½ cup fresh parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, and dill in a food processor with ¼ cup oil and puree until a thick paste forms.
Pepperoni - You can use large peproni that you chop or the small tiny circle pepperoni that do not need chopping.
Tomatoes and Olives - If you find the tomatoes to be too large you can chop them in half.
Leftovers - Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.