Tasty Olive Orzo Salad

Tasty olive orzo salad is perfect for a afternoon lunch, or your next gathering. I used Kalamata pearl olives to go and got them at Walmart.

It’s been decided. My son has expressed his wants and us parents are following suit. Early this year he told us he no longer wanted to eat the lunch his school provides, and instead wanted to take a packed lunch from home. I have absolutely no problem with pulling that together for him. The only problem I have is trying to figure out what I could pack him that falls under the guidelines of his school and what he will actually eat. I took him for a grocery shopping trip and went through each aisle to see what tickled his fancy. I let him be involved in his lunch options, and I must admit I was pleasantly surprised by some of the items he picked. I never in a million years expected him to choose  Pearls Olives to Go!  Have you seen them? They come packaged like a little carton of applesauce except filled with olives. This may very well be the biggest innovation for olives since pitting them! With the olives being gluten-free flavors, dairy-free, sugar-free, cholesterol-free, trans-fat-free, GMO-free, vegan and Kosher their is no way my son’s school would have any objections to this lunch box friend. It was almost too easy to just pack olives and a cheese sandwich with a side of his favorite fruit. Plus I like the idea that they come in a variety of flavors (Black, Kalamata, Pimiento-Stuffed Green Spanish, and Black Sliced), and each package contains four cups. I stocked up and used some for my son’s lunch and I have been adding them to my favorite olive orzo salad. I pack him the olive orzo salad for lunch as well. Either way….I’m loving Pearl Olives to go, and so is he.

pearl olives to go varieties

Ingredients for olive orzo salad:

  • 5 – cups cooked orzo (cook according to package)
  • 1 – cucumber (cut into cubes)
  • 1/4 – cup chopped pimiento
  • 1 – cup yellow cherry tomatoes (chopped into 4’s)
  • 9 – fresh basil leaves (chopped)
  • 1/4 – cup italian dressing
  • 4 – containers Pearl olives to go (kalamata)
  •  1/2 – cup red onion (chopped)
  • 3 – ounces feta cheese (crumbled)

Directions:

  1. Cook orzo according to package. Drain from boiling water and rinse under cold water.
  2. Place cooked orzo in a bowl. Add in cucumber, pimiento, yellow tomatoes, basil leaves, italian dressing, kalamata olives, red onion, and feta cheese. kalamata olives and orzo salad.
  3. Mix all ingredients together until evenly combined.
  4. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for an hour.
  5. Serve cold and enjoy!

Olive orzo salad made with kalamata pearl olives.

 

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