Ever wonder what to bring to a barbecue, potluck, family reunion or other summertime gathering? For families with food allergies, I always recommend taking something that’s a complete meal all on its own, just in case there’s nothing else on offer that’s safe to eat. This gluten-free orzo salad, with summer veggies and herbs, chickpeas for protein and quinoa orzo for a filling and healthy grain, is the perfect take along. Plus, with a vinaigrette dressing, it holds up well in the heat. Shake up a spice jar with your own homemade Salad Supreme seasoning to take with you, and your allergic family members will feel extra-special.
This particular recipe was inspired by Love and Lemons’s June Cooking Club pick, although I swapped some ingredients and modified some measurements.
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Equipment
- Medium mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cups dry gluten-free orzo, cooked according to package directions and cooled (my favorite is Andean Dream's Organic Orzo Quinoa Pasta, and one package is equal to one cup dried)
- 1 ½ cups seedless cucumber, halved and sliced into half moons
- 1 ½ cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 ounces Violife Just Like Feta, cubed
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives (check to make sure the brine does not contain soy or other allergens)
- ¼ cup vinaigrette dressing (I use Brianna's Real French Vinaigrette – check for your allergens before using)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, julienned
Octofree "Salad Supreme" Seasoning
- 2 tbsp garlic salt
- 3 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp celery salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp chili powder
Instructions
- Prepare orzo according to package directions.
- Spread on a cookie sheet, spray or brush lightly with olive oil, and allow to cool.
- Place cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, feta and Kalamata olives into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Once the orzo is cool, add it to the mixing bowl.
- Add vinaigrette, lemon juice, oregano and salt to mixing bowl, then toss until ingredients are evenly distributed and coated in dressing.
- Garnish with basil and serve with "Salad Supreme."
Make the "Salad Supreme" Seasoning:
- If you have an empty, clean spice jar, you can add all ingredients to it, secure the lid and shake. Otherwise, measure all ingredients into a small mixing bowl and stir to combine.
