Orzo & mozzarella salad

10-30 minutes 4 servings 800 kcal or less buffet buffet recipes extra-virgin olive oil lunchbox recipes mediterranean salad mozzarella orzo packed lunch parmesan pasta salad picnic recipes quick rocket salad recipes summer summer recipes tomato tomatoes vegetarian recipes

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Source

Ingredients

350g orzo or other tiny pasta shape

20g pack basil

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

25g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), finely grated, plus more to serve, if you like

1 garlic clove , very roughly chopped

50g toasted pine nuts

290g pack bocconcini (baby mozzarella balls)

100g semi-dried tomatoes , very roughly chopped

50g bag wild rocket

Method

Boil the orzo for 8 mins until tender, then drain and cool under cold water. Drain again, then tip into a large bowl. Meanwhile, tear the basil, stalks and all, into a food processor. Add the oil, Parmesan, garlic and half the pine nuts, then whizz to a thick pesto-like dressing.

Stir the dressing through the orzo, then season. The dressing will seem quite thick, but keep stirring and it will eventually coat all the grains. Add the bocconcini, tomatoes and a handful of the rocket. Scatter with the remaining pine nuts and a little more Parmesan, if you like. Top with more rocket, then serve straight away.