Name: Orzo and haloumi salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: New Zealand
Ingredients: 500g orzo/risoni pasta; 1 bunch asparagus; 1/2 head of broccoli, chopped; 180g halloumi, sliced; 100g baby spinach; 3 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, sliced; 3 Tbsp pinenuts, toasted; 50g pesto; 1 Tbsp lemon juice; 50ml olive oil

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This crowd-pleasing salad is layered with orzo pasta, fresh greens, salty haloumi and topped with toasted pinenuts.

Made with fresh, seasonal vegetables and delicious salty haloumi, this salad is perfect for your Christmas day table. Because it can be made in advance and refrigerated, it's also great as a picnic lunch or dinner down at the beach.

Orzo (which is sometimes referred to as risoni) is a type of pasta that looks like large grains of rice. Taking between 7-10 minutes to cook, it's a great addition to salads because it's not too bulky and can be prepared quickly.

HOW TO MAKE ORZO AND HALOUMI SALAD:

Start off by cooking your orzo according to the instructions on the packet. Then prepare your veggies by chopping the broccoli into florets and the asparagus into thirds. Boil these together until they have just cooked (they should still have a vibrant green colour to them).

Cut the haloumi into 1 cm slices and pan fry for about two minutes on each side until golden brown. Assemble the salad on a large platter. Start with the risoni and stir through the baby spinach. Next, place your cooked asparagus and broccoli on top followed by the sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pinenuts and lastly haloumi.

Whisk the pesto, lemon juice and olive oil together to make your zesty dressing. Pour over the salad just before serving.

Great salads don't have to be complicated. Some of my most popular salad recipes include my Best Pasta Salad and my Best Ever Potato Salad!

HERE ARE SOME COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ORZO:

How long does orzo take to cook? Generally between 7-10 minutes, however, I always recommend using the guidelines on the packet you have purchased.

Are orzo and risoni the same thing? Technically speaking, orzo is generally slightly larger than risoni. However, either or works well in this dish - just use what your local supermarket stocks!

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Orzo and haloumi salad

Yield: 8 - side dish

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Salty haloumi pairs brilliantly with fresh, zesty vegetables in this crowd-pleasing salad.

Ingredients

SALAD

500g orzo/risoni pasta
1 bunch asparagus
½ head of broccoli, chopped
180g halloumi, sliced
100g baby spinach
3 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
3 Tbsp pinenuts, toasted

DRESSING

50g pesto
1 Tbsp lemon juice
50ml olive oil

Instructions

Cook risoni according to packet instructions.
Slice each asparagus stem into three pieces and then boil with the broccoli until just cooked.
Cut the haloumi into 1 cm slices and pan fry for about two minutes on each side until golden and cooked through.
Assemble the salad on a large platter starting with the cooked risoni and stir through baby spinach. Top with a layer cooked asparagus, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes and toasted pinenuts. Place fried haloumi on top.
To make the dressing whisk together pesto, lemon juice and olive oil, serve in a small jug. Pour over the salad just before serving.

Notes

If you like you can swap the baby spinach for rocket or mesclun salad.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 326Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 192mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 12g

Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.