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Southwest Orzo Salad

PREP 20 minutes
COOK 10 minutes
TOTAL 1 hour
Yield 10 servings
Created by: Charlene Carey
Vibrant Southwest Orzo Salad Recipe
A vibrant and refreshing salad made with orzo, black beans, mangoes, and fresh vegetables, dressed with a zesty lime dressing.
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Course: Salad
Cuisine: Vegetarian

Equipment

  • Jar for Dressing
  • Large Bowl
  • cooking pot
  • Measuring cups
  • Kitchen knife

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups uncooked orzo (0.3 liters)
  • 1 can BUSH’S® Black Beans (15 oz.), rinsed and drained
  • 2 large mangoes chopped
  • 1 ½ cups fresh corn (0.4 liters) from 2 ears sweet corn (do not cook)
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • ¼ large red onion chopped
  • 1 large avocado chopped
  • ½ cup packed cilantro roughly chopped
  • ⅓ cup olive oil (0.08 liters)
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice plus more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1/2–3/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • Start by cooking the orzo in salted boiling water until tender, which should take around 8 to 10 minutes. You will know it is done when it is tender but still has a bit of bite. Be careful not to overcook it, or it will turn mushy and clump together.
  • After draining the orzo, rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. This also helps to prevent sticking. If you skip this step, you might end up with a sticky mess, so make sure to give it a good rinse.
  • In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, honey, red wine vinegar, chipotle powder, cumin, salt, garlic powder, oregano, and pepper. You want it to be well blended and slightly thickened. Taste before using; if it is too tangy, a little more honey can help mellow it out.
  • In a large bowl, mix the cooled orzo, black beans, chopped mangoes, corn, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, avocado, and cilantro. As you toss everything, enjoy the colorful combo; it smells fresh! Be gentle to avoid mashing the avocado.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad and toss lightly to coat everything evenly. You will see the beautiful colors of the veggies pop and smell the lime zing coming through. Just be careful not to overdress, or it might get too soggy.
  • Let the salad chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving. This helps all the flavors mingle beautifully. If you serve it too soon, the dressing will not have had a chance to soak in, so patience is key here!

Notes

Store the salad and dressing separately to keep freshness; add avocado just before serving.