Orzo Cowboy Salad (Printable Version)
# What You'll Need:
→ Salad
01 -
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
02 -
1 cup black beans from a can, rinsed well and drained
03 -
1 cup canned corn, well-drained
04 -
1/4 medium red onion, cut up small
05 -
1 big bell pepper, chopped (go for half green, half red if you want)
06 -
1 juicy large tomato, diced
07 -
1 cup dry orzo pasta
→ Dressing
08 -
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, toss in more or less if you want
09 -
1 teaspoon sea salt, go by what tastes right
10 -
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
11 -
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
12 -
1 tablespoon honey or swap in maple syrup
13 -
2 tablespoons lime juice
14 -
1/4 cup olive oil, extra virgin
# Steps to Follow:
01 -
Once you've poured the dressing over your salad, make sure you mix everything up so that stuff is evenly coated. Pop it in the fridge if you like it cool or just dig in as is.
02 -
Grab a big mixing bowl and toss in the cooled orzo, bell peppers, black beans, tomato, corn, onion, and cilantro. Give it all a really good stir, so every bite has a bit of everything.
03 -
Pour the olive oil, lime juice, honey (or maple), chipotle powder, cumin, salt, and pepper into a little jar or bowl. Pop a lid on your jar and give it a good shake, or whisk if you're using a bowl. Adjust the flavor until it hits the spot.
04 -
Fill a big pot with water and salt it a bit, then bring it to a boil. Drop in the orzo and cook till it's just tender (al dente), following the box directions. Drain with a colander and run cold water over it to stop the cooking and cool it down fast.
# Additional Tips:
01 -
Try topping with chicken, crispy bacon, steak strips, shrimp, or some ground beef if you want to turn this into a filling meal.
02 -
Toss in queso fresco or some crumbled feta to make it creamy and a little salty.
03 -
If you want to switch things up, change out the orzo for couscous, farro, rice, or quinoa.
04 -
Go with maple syrup in the dressing and skip any cheese or animal add-ins to keep it totally vegan.
05 -
Leftovers? Stash them in a sealed container in your fridge and they'll last about two days without drying out or picking up weird smells.