Classic caprese ingredients (basil, mozzarella, tomatoes, and balsamic vinaigrette) modernized into a salad with spinach and orzo pasta.
The salad obsession continues. If you haven’t noticed, I’ve been on a little bit of a salad kick lately. It’s all in an effort to live a healthier lifestyle. I keep coming up with different salad combinations to keep things interesting, so that our fruits and veggies are always tasty and something we want to dig-in to rather than a chore to eat.
Today’s orzo caprese salad is so simple yet so tasty. What is it about caprese that makes it so wonderful yet seem fancy at the same time? I mean it’s only basil, tomatoes, mozzarella, and balsamic vinaigrette. Who knows? All I know is that it’s delicious! Gotta love the simple things in life :)
With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a huge batch at the beginning of the week and enjoy it all week long!
Warren even proclaimed, “I could eat this everyday”! Now that’s a testament. Pair it with a protein like my baked lemon and herb salmon or lemon chicken, or enjoy it as a meal all on it’s own, straight from the bowl! No judgement here ;)
To prepare this salad, start with a large bowl of spinach and basil leaves.
Top it with some hot and freshly cooked orzo pasta. The hot pasta will help wilt the spinach leaves slightly and get the juices from the soon-to-be-added tomatoes flowing.
Throw in some quartered tomatoes. I used the same contraption I used in my Mediterranean rice & quinoa bowl to quarter the tomatoes in seconds.
Then, add in fresh mozzarella. I bought a block and just cut it into cubes. Beats the shredded stuff by leaps and bounds!
The dressing is a 1:1 ratio of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Whisk the two together and drizzle it over the salad.
Finally, give it a big stir.
Ta-da! I told you it was simple :D
Enjoy, friends!
Orzo Caprese Salad
Yields 6-8 servings
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Salad
Ingredients
3 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
2 cups grape tomatoes, quartered
1 cup uncooked orzo, freshly cooked
24 fresh basil leaves, chopped
½ pound fresh mozzarella, diced into ½ inch cubes
Directions
- In a large bowl, add the spinach and tomatoes.
- While the orzo is still hot, add it to the spinach and let stand for about 5 minutes to slightly wilt the spinach and get the tomato juices flowing.
- Add the basil leaves and mozzarella cubes.
- Drizzle with the dressing (recipe follows).
Dressing
Ingredients
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
- Whisk together both ingredients.
Storage
Store covered in refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Looks delicious. The spinach will definitely improve it. Thanks a lot
Thank you! I hope you enjoy ;)