Orzo Pasta Salad with Bacon & Parmesan Vinaigrette
This Orzo Pasta Salad with Bacon & Parmesan Vinaigrette is sure to be a hit at your next summer barbecue gathering. Whip up a batch to share!
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Orzo pasta
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed
- 1 cup frozen petite peas thawed
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes quartered
- 1 cup shredded carrots chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion finely sliced
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
Dressing
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Cook the Orzo pasta according to the directions, drain, rinse with cold water and drain again.
- In a large bowl, add the pasta, all of the vegetables and bacon. Stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients except the Parmesan cheese.
- When the dressing is smooth and creamy, taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Don't add salt yet, because the Parmesan is salty.
- Add the Parmesan to the dressing and whisk again until completely blended.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and mix well.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings again.
- This is delicious served at room temperature or cold.
Notes
As with any pasta salad, this soaks up the dressing, so the next day I drizzled in some more balsamic to moisten it up.
Some variations to the dressing would be lemon, regular balsamic, red wine vinegar, olives, crushed red pepper...and the list goes on.