The original plan was to make stuffed peppers. I had the entire recipe fully visualized and well thought out, and I was so excited. I started preparing my peppers and quickly realized they were poorly equipped for stuffing. The peppers did not look the greatest. Even though we had just bought them at the store, they were already on their last leg! I could have run back to the store, gotten more peppers, and proceeded, but I kept my goal for summer recipes in mind: simple summer cooking, nothing extra or fussy. I quickly decided to pivot and grill the peppers, slice them, and toss everything I’d planned to stuff into the peppers together in one big bowl. We were left with a giant bowl of yummy pasta! Of course, the visual presentation was not the same. But what would have been an hour-long recipe turned into a 25-minute recipe that I know everyone will love.
These are the details
Step 1: make the dressing Lots of good olive oil mixed together with garlic, shallots, champagne vinegar, a couple squeezes of honey, fresh dill, sea salt, pepper, and chili flakes. A pretty basic mix, but delicious. This dish has a lot of herbs, so it’s very flavorful.
Step 2: add the mix-ins Add a jar of sliced roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, and toasted pine nuts directly to the salad bowl. If you are more like me and prefer to make your own roasted peppers, it’s super easy to do. Take the peppers and grill them all over until mostly chard all over. Or use a gas burner to char the peppers. Then add the peppers to a bowl, cover, and steam them for 10-15 minutes. Sliced and use as directed. Easy!
Step 3: cook the orzo + toss the tomatoes Next, cook the orzo in a big pot of boiling water. Then, add it right to the salad bowl and toss everything together. You will immediately smell the garlic and herbs. Now, mix the tomatoes with lemon, basil, and thyme.
Step 4: final touches Top the bowl full of orzo with crumbled feta cheese. Add the avocado, then spoon the tomatoes on top. I like to finish with additional herbs. Basil and fresh dill are great here. YUM! Not only is this an incredibly easy recipe, but the leftovers, warm or cold, make for an awesome lunch the next day. It doesn’t get better than getting two meals out of one. If you want to add some protein, I love serving this with a grilled chicken skewer or steak. You could also toss in lemony shrimp; that would be delicious too!
Looking for other great pasta salad recipes? Here are some favorites: Caprese Caesar Pasta Salad Pesto Chicken, Corn, and Avocado Bacon Pasta Salad Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Pasta Salad Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken Avocado Orzo Salad with Honey Mustard Bacon Dressing Lastly, if you make this Greek Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Feta Orzo, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
