Description
A vibrant and nutritious salad featuring orzo, black beans, corn, and fresh vegetables, perfect for summer picnics or barbecues.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups dry orzo
- 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen and thawed)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 cup red bell pepper (diced)
- 1/2 cup red onion (finely diced)
- 1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)
- 1 jalapeno (seeded and finely chopped)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 avocado (diced, optional)
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese (crumbled, optional)
Instructions
- Cook the orzo in a pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water.
- Combine the cooked orzo, black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno in a large bowl.
- Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, ground cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl to make the dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the orzo mixture and toss gently until everything is well coated.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Before serving, gently fold in the diced avocado and sprinkle the crumbled cotija cheese on top.
- Give the salad a final toss and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lime juice if needed.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature, garnished with extra cilantro if desired.
Notes
For best flavor, allow the salad to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 5mg