• About
  • Write For Us
  • Contact
  • Top 50 Food Blogs
  • Cooking Resources
  • Archives

IndustryEats

Food & Cooking Blog

  • Cooking Basics
  • Technique
  • Equipment
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Breads
    • Desserts
  • Interviews
You are here: Home / Recipes / Orzo & Basil Salad with Toasted Pecans and a Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe

Orzo & Basil Salad with Toasted Pecans and a Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe

October 5, 2017

Last night, I put together a very simple salad that I thought you might be interested in. It’s another one of Gordon Ramsay’s recipes, but this time, I put a heavy “Jay” twist on things. I added some parsley because it’s been extremely prevalent in our garden this year and can use some eating. I also swapped out the pine nuts Gordon called for and used pecans instead, like I usually do. I simply adore pecans and any time I can use them in a recipe, I do. Finally, I decided to go with baby greens and red lettuce as opposed to “rocket” because I thought the addition of some color and texture would add to the more straightforward arugula. While none of the changes I made were particularly mind blowing, I thought they made for a tasty salad that I thoroughly enjoyed.


RECEIVE MY POSTS BY EMAIL!

Interested in receiving my posts by email? This is your chance! Simply place your email address in the field below and I'll deliver each and every post I write directly to your inbox.


Orzo & Basil Salad with Toasted Pecans and a Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe

The Recipe

As I said, this one is really easy. There’s nothing too much to its preparation and what you’ll end up with is light and perfect for a small dish that’s intention is to get you ready for something more substantial. The orzo is a nice addition that adds just a bit of bulk. The basil and parsley add the distinct flavors both of these ingredients are known so well for and the lemon and Parmesan vinaigrette does a wonderful job in rounding out the entire dish. As long as you do a good job tossing everything at the end, you should be left with a very nicely prepared and consistently delicious salad on your plate in no time.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

For the Salad


1 Pound Orzo
1 Bay Leaf
1 Cup Pecans
2 Cups Fresh Basil, Packed
1 Cup Fresh Parsley, Chopped and Packed
3 Cups Red Lettuce, Torn and Packed
3 Cups Baby Greens, Packed
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Salt
Ground Black Pepper

For the Dressing

4 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, Finely Grated
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
6 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

I’d like to thank the one and only Gordon Ramsay for this recipe. Even though I referenced him above, I still feel the need to let you know that regardless of the fact that I altered this recipe quite a bit, he was my inspiration. Every single recipe I’ve prepared of Gordon’s has come out wonderfully and I’m looking forward to many more in the future.

Cook the Orzo

Fill a large pot with three quarts of water, the bay leaf and 3/4 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. When the water is boiling, add the orzo and cook for 8-10 minutes or until it’s just al dente. When that happens, strain the contents of the pot through a colander and then run the colander under cool water for a minute or so. Discard the bay leaf. After that, replace the orzo in the pot it came out of and add three tablespoons of olive oil to it and stir. The olive oil will inhibit clumping and sticking so the orzo is easier to work with later on.


Dry Orzo

Cooked Orzo Pasta in Colander

Set the pasta aside.

Toast the Pecans

Warm a small skillet over medium heat. When the pan is to temperature, add the pecans to it. Flip constantly and allow the nuts to toast for a few minutes. When you see them begin to change color and when you start to smell them, remove the pan from the heat. They are toasted.

Toasted Pecans in Skillet


Make the Dressing

Combine the Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, 6 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl and whisk until everything is combined.

Lemon and Olive Oil Dressing

Combine Ingredients

In a large bowl, add the basil, parsley, red lettuce and baby greens.

Salad Greens

Add the orzo and dressing to the bowl as well. Toss everything together until the salad and orzo is coated with the dressing. Add olive oil if necessary. Also, you may add a few pinches of salt and pepper to the salad to taste if you wish.


Plate & Serve

Divide the contents of the large bowl between plates. Also divide and sprinkle the nuts on top of the salad. Serve.

The Final Orzo Salad

Yes, this was a quick one. I especially enjoy these types of salads because they’re fast and they give me enough time to move onto more complex recipes in the kitchen. If you try this dish out, please share your thoughts with me in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!

Orzo and Basil Salad

Check Out These Related Posts

  • Green Bean, Orange & Fennel Salad with Pecans & Goat Cheese RecipeGreen Bean, Orange & Fennel Salad with Pecans & Goat Cheese Recipe
  • Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Basil  & Parmesan RecipeMediterranean Orzo Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Basil & Parmesan Recipe
  • Beet, Carrot & Red Cabbage Slaw with Maple Syrup Vinaigrette RecipeBeet, Carrot & Red Cabbage Slaw with Maple Syrup Vinaigrette Recipe
  • Orzo Salad with Everything RecipeOrzo Salad with Everything Recipe
  • Rotini Pasta Salad with Fennel, Red Onions & Sun Dried Tomatoes RecipeRotini Pasta Salad with Fennel, Red Onions & Sun Dried Tomatoes Recipe
  • Orzo Salad with Roasted Pepper, Black Olives & Feta RecipeOrzo Salad with Roasted Pepper, Black Olives & Feta Recipe
  • Toasted Orzo Salad with Grape Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives & Basil RecipeToasted Orzo Salad with Grape Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives & Basil Recipe
  • Sweet & Sour Cabbage, Fennel and Apple Salad RecipeSweet & Sour Cabbage, Fennel and Apple Salad Recipe
  • Roasted Red Onion & Green Bean Salad Recipe by Gordon RamsayRoasted Red Onion & Green Bean Salad Recipe by Gordon Ramsay
  • Red Rice & Quinoa Salad with Oranges and Dates RecipeRed Rice & Quinoa Salad with Oranges and Dates Recipe
  • Parmesan, Radicchio & Chickpea Orzo Salad RecipeParmesan, Radicchio & Chickpea Orzo Salad Recipe
  • Chickpea Pasta Salad with a Dijon Maple Syrup Vinaigrette RecipeChickpea Pasta Salad with a Dijon Maple Syrup Vinaigrette Recipe

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Pasta, Salads

What’s Next? Email Updates!

If you enjoyed reading this post, why not consider signing up to receive others like it by email? It's so easy and you can unsubscribe at any time.

About Jay Gaulard

My name is Jay Gaulard and I'm what I like to call an "inexperienced chef," if that's not an oxymoron. I initially decided to immerse myself into the world of food and cooking in May of 2015, when I began growing, in earnest, my first garden. The garden produced a wonderful yield and with some newfound confidence, my hobby of learning about what I eat took shape. Currently, I'm enrolled in an online cooking school and am quite active with the culinary community. I primarily write posts about what I research and learn along the way.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Connect With Me

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

RECEIVE MY POSTS BY EMAIL!

Interested in receiving my posts by email? This is your chance! Simply place your email address in the box below and I'll deliver each and every post I write directly to your inbox.

Follow Us On Facebook!

IndustryEats

Check Me Out On Instagram!

Load More…Follow on Instagram

Recent Posts

  • Garlic Mushroom & Lentil Pan Fried Salmon Recipe by Gordon Ramsay February 13, 2019
  • Avocado & Shrimp Tostadas Recipe February 12, 2019
  • Shrimp Waldorf Salad by Gordon Ramsay February 7, 2019
  • Southern Indian Fish Curry Recipe by Gordon Ramsay February 3, 2019
  • Winter Salad with Cranberries, Walnuts & Sweet Potatoes Recipe February 1, 2019

Most Popular Posts

  • What Does Cutting "On the Bias" Mean in the Culinary World? What Does Cutting “On the Bias” Mean in the Culinary World?
  • The Ultimate Dutch Oven Macaroni & Cheese Recipe The Ultimate Dutch Oven Macaroni & Cheese Recipe
  • Crispy Salmon With Crushed New Potatoes Crispy Salmon With Crushed New Potatoes
  • Classic Italian Bread Recipe by Bread Illustrated Classic Italian Bread Recipe by Bread Illustrated
  • Homemade Sauerkraut & Potato Pierogi Recipe Homemade Sauerkraut & Potato Pierogi Recipe

About IndustryEats

IndustryEats is an active online publication that focuses primarily on lovers of food, cooking and gardening. We write articles that touch on a variety of topics, including those that discuss where much of what we eat comes from, kitchen techniques and tricks, advice from experienced chefs and how to go about truly understanding what it means to cook well. We also post, daily, about how others go about living their lives in the culinary world. We'll introduce guest posts as well as interviews from some of the industry's finest and most experienced. Read More

Tags

Breads Breakfast Cakes Desserts Dinner Eggs Frittatas Gluten-Free Lunch Muffins Pancakes Pasta Pizzas Rice Risotto Salads Sandwiches Seafood Side Dishes Soups Vegan Vegetarian

Recent Comments

  • Jay Gaulard on Sweet Potato, Tomato & Kale Chowder Recipe: “Thank you Richard!” Dec 3, 18:35
  • Richard Curtin on Sweet Potato, Tomato & Kale Chowder Recipe: “Great story Jay. Your communication skills about your journey are wonderfully enlightening. Keep going!!!” Nov 29, 10:06
  • Jay Gaulard on Rustic Potato, Pasta & Mushroom Casserole Recipe: “Hi Maria, It actually was a very satisfying meal. We just finished it a few days ago because…” Nov 1, 23:19
  • Maria on Rustic Potato, Pasta & Mushroom Casserole Recipe: “Sounds like a very satisfying meal, just the kind one craves in fall/winter. Adding caraway seeds is new and very…” Nov 1, 12:30
  • Jay Gaulard on Celeriac, Fennel & Apple Chowder Soup Recipe: “You rock Tania! Thank you. It was really good. Jay” Oct 29, 16:16

ARCHIVES

  • 2019: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2018: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2017: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2016: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • 2015: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Copyright © 2019 · IndustryEats.com Food & Cooking Blog · About · Write For Us · Contact · Privacy / Terms · Archives