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This delicious orzo kale salad is a hybrid between a pasta salad and a kale salad. Made with simple ingredients orzo, kale, and parmesan and topped with a lemon vinaigrette – there is tons of flavor packed into this recipe!
It doesn’t get much better than this orzo and kale salad! This veggie-based orzo salad recipe is filled with fresh and colorful vegetables and a light zesty lemon dressing you will love. The roasted almonds add a nice rich flavor and crunch.
You can serve this is a nice Mediterranean inspired salad either warm or cold. It makes a tasty side dish, but you can also add some protein and make it into a meal. It holds up well in the fridge, so it makes a great option for packed lunches for work or school.
Explore even more delicious salads by trying my favorite healthy salad recipes you can eat for any meal!
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What is Orzo?
Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta that is often used in soups in Italian cuisine. What we think of as orzo in America is often called risi or rosini in Italy. The word orzo means “barley” in Italian. Similar to other pasta shapes, orzo is cooked in boiling water until al dente.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Orzo Pasta: this rice shaped pasta makes a great base for pasta salads like this one. You can substitute with another pasta shape like bow ties, macaroni, or penne pasta if you don’t have orzo.
- Tuscan Kale: Lacinato/Tuscan/dinosaur kale is our favorite type of kale variety for kale salads like this one, but curly kale can also work.
- Almonds: we like to use chopped roasted almonds for this orzo pasta salad recipe, but you could also use slivered almonds to save yourself the extra chopping. Instead of almonds, you could add pine nuts, walnuts, or pistachios.
- Lemon: adds brightness and lots of flavor to the simple dressing for this salad. You’ll use both fresh lemon juice and the lemon zest for the dressing. We recommend using fresh squeezed lemon juice instead of bottled juice for the best flavor.
- Parmesan: we love the subtle saltiness and umami flavor of parmesan in this recipe. However, you can also use feta if you want to make a more Greek-inspired version of this salad.
- Shallot: we like to use shallot because the flavor is more mild than red onion, but you can use a small red onion instead.
Variations
- Add a Sweet Element: if you love the combo of sweet and savory, adding some fruit to this orzo kale salad would be delicious! We recommend dried cranberries or pomegranate seeds.
- Add Protein: make this kale salad recipe a main dish by adding some protein like chicken or canned chickpeas or white beans.
- Make a Greek Salad: use feta cheese instead of parmesan cheese and add some chopped kalamata olives, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes to make an easy greek orzo salad.
- Make it Vegan: omit the parmesan and replace with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (stir into the salad dressing) or use a vegan parmesan.
How to Make Kale Orzo Salad
- Cook the Orzo: boil some salted water in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the orzo. Cook according to the package directions for al dente. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Chop the Veggies: while the orzo cooks, chop the kale and other veggies you’ll need for the salad. Add to a large bowl.
- Whisk Together the Dressing: in a separate small bowl, whisk together the salad dressing ingredients.
- Combine: add the cooked orzo and salad dressing to the serving bowl with the veggies. Toss to mix everything together and serve.
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Which is Healthier: Kale of Spinach?
Both kale and spinach are healthy options that provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Kale is higher in calcium and vitamin C per serving than spinach. One the other hand, spinach has more folate, vitamin A, and vitamin K per serving. Bottom line: both are versatile and healthy veggies so add either one to your plate on a regular basis.
Is Orzo Pasta Healthier Than Rice?
Both orzo and rice are carbohydrate-based foods. Orzo has a little bit more protein per serving (7 grams in orzo vs 5 grams in a serving of brown rice). They both have a similar number of calories, about 220 calories per serving, and the same amount of fiber, 3 grams. Both orzo and brown rice provide many B vitamins like thiamine and niacin. Bottom line: both are healthy options!
Storage
This healthy orzo pasta salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days after preparing it. One of the benefits of a kale salad is that you can assemble it ahead of time for meal prep and you don’t have to worry about it getting soggy like lettuce based salads. In fact, it tastes even better the next day!
Orzo Kale Salad
Equipment
- Medium Saucepan
- Large bowl
- Whisk
- Colander
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry uncooked orzo
- 2 cups of chopped raw kale, stems removed
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- ½ cup roasted unsalted almonds, chopped
- 1.5 oz parmesan cheese, finely shredded (about ½ cup)
For the Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Juice from 1 lemon, about 3 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Boil 1 cup of orzo pasta in a large saucepan according to the directions on the box (approx 8 minutes). Rinse under cold water after to stop the cooking process.
- While pasta is cooking, wash and prep all the veggies and add to a large bowl..
- Make your dressing in a separate bowl, whisk well, and set aside
- Add all of your ingredients to a large mixing or serving bowl and toss to mix and coat everything in salad dressing. Serve immediately or chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow flavors to marinate.
What but could you substitute instead of pine nuts?
You could just skip them or substitute sunflower seeds. Enjoy!