Easy Peasy Orzo Salad

Orzo pasta salad with green peas, cucumbers, tomatoes, mint and feta cheese

It’s easy, it’s peasy, it’s feta cheesy!

Ingredients

Dressing

• 1/3 cup reduced-fat bottled Italian dressing
• 1 tbsp each balsamic vinegar and freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Salad

• 2 cups uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
• 1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
• 1 cup peeled, seeded and diced cucumber
• ½ cup diced orange or yellow bell pepper
• ½ cup chopped green onions
• ½ cup frozen green peas, thawed
• ½ cup crumbled light feta cheese (2 oz/57 g)
• ¼ cup chopped black olives (optional)
• 2 to 3 tbsp minced fresh mint leaves
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

To make dressing, whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again. Mix together orzo and all remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat salad. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving.

Makes 6 servings

Per serving: 303 calories, 3.2 g total fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 12 g protein, 59 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 9 mg cholesterol, 295 mg sodium