Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Copycat Spinach Orzo Salad

This is a copycat recipe of a spinach orzo salad from Macaroni Grill with minor tweaks. I get most of my ingredients at Trader Joe's, they're much cheaper there. The only thing I get elsewhere is orzo. I've made this with whole wheat orzo and it was great.

Ingredients:
8-10 oz julienned fresh baby spinach
2 diced Roma tomatoes
2 oz lightly toasted pine nuts
2 oz julienned sundried tomatoes packed in olive oil
2 oz shaved parmesan cheese, the really good kind, not stuff from green can (tip: use vegetable peeler to shave the cheese)
1 lb orzo pasta
freshly ground black pepper
lemon vinaigrette dressing (see next recipe)

The original had some julienned chicken breast, capers, olives and radicchio but I don't add those as for me they are an aquired taste that I haven't quite acquired yet.

Combine all salad ingredients except for pine nuts and parmesan cheese in a salad bowl. Add dressing and toss. Add pine nuts, black pepper and most of the parmesan cheese and toss again right before serving. Garnish with remaining parmesan cheese.

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