Orzo and Bell Pepper Salad with Edamame, Olives and Feta

Orzo & Bell Pepper Salad with Edamame, Olives & Feta

Name: Orzo and Bell Pepper Salad with Edamame, Olives and Feta
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Fusion
Ingredients: beans; pasta, orzo; sweet red bell peppers; green bell peppers; scallions, spring or green onions; banana peppers; red onion; cherry tomatoes; olives; feta cheese; white wine vinegar; lemon juice; oregano; garlic cloves; cumin; dijon mustard; olive oil, extra-virgin; pine nuts

Submitted by happyzhangbo

Layers of textures and flavors in this salad. Crunchy and fresh bell peppers, sweet edamade, salty olives, feta and nutty pine nuts together make this salad amazingly tasty.

YIELD

4 servings

PREP

15 min

COOK

22 min

READY

40 min

Ingredients

1 ½

CUPS BEANS
edamade, frozen soy beans

OUNCES ORZO PASTA *

LARGE SWEET RED BELL PEPPERS
diced into small cubes

LARGE GREEN BELL PEPPERS
diced into small cubes, or yellow bell pepper

SCALLIONS, SPRING OR GREEN ONIONS
chopped

BANANA PEPPERS
dice into small cubes, optional

SMALL RED ONION
dice into small cubes

CUP CHERRY TOMATOES
oven-dried, or sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

CUP OLIVES
black or green, pitted and sliced *

CUP FETA CHEESE
crumbled

Vinaigrette

TABLESPOON WHITE WINE VINEGAR

TABLESPOON LEMON JUICE
fresh

TABLESPOON OREGANO
freshly chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried

SMALL GARLIC CLOVES
finely chopped *

TEASPOON CUMIN
toasted and ground

TEASPOON DIJON MUSTARD

TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL, EXTRA-VIRGIN

TABLESPOONS PINE NUTS
toasted, for sprinkling, or chopped walnuts

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the edamame to the pot, and boil for about 12 minutes until tender.

Using a slotted spoon takes the cooked edamame out and place into a colander. Let cool enough to handle, then take the soybeans out of the shells.

Add the pasta to the same boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes or according to the direction on the package. Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl.

Add the bell peppers, edamame, scallions, red onions, tomatoes, olives and feta cheese into the bowl as well. Stir well.

In a small bowl, add all the dressing ingredients, and mix until well blended.

Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture, and stir until evenly coated and distributed. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Sprinkle pine nuts on top and serve. Or place the salad in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.