Grilled Veggie Orzo Pasta Salad
Skip the calories found in most pasta salads, and load up instead on this fresh, tasty orzo pasta salad. Jam-packed with lots of grilled veggies and tossed with a simple vinaigrette, you're definitely gonna want seconds!
Servings 8 -10 servings
Ingredients
- 1 medium squash halved
- 1 medium zucchini halved
- 2 medium sweet peppers halved and seeded
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 lb orzo pasta cooked according to package directions and 1/2 cup pasta cooking water reserved
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/3 cup minced fresh basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat. Brush both sides of squash, zucchini, and sweet peppers with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill veggies, turning occasionally until veggies are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer veggies to a cutting board and cut into thin slices once cool enough to handle.
- In a large bowl, toss veggies with orzo pasta. Set aside.
- In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine olive oil, lime juice, sugar, and garlic powder. Shake until smooth. Pour over pasta along with 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water. Stir in basil and season salad with salt and pepper. Refrigerate salad until ready to serve.
Notes
Store pasta salad in refrigerator up to 3 days.