orzo salad with black beans and spinach
My mom says that food always tastes better when you don't cook it yourself. I definitely agree with her - someone else's food always tastes better. I don't know if it's because you get tired of smelling the ingredients while you're cooking, but she's definitely right.
When I was staying with her a few weeks before moving to Pittsburgh, we were both pretty excited about getting to eat healthy together. Lots of protein, plenty of salads, and lots of flavor. She shared this recipe with me and it did. not. disappoint. In fact, it's one of my new favorites!
orzo salad with black beans and spinach
prep time: 10 minutes | cook time: 15 minutes
experience level: easy peasy | specialty: side dishes, vegetarian
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 cup celery, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup orzo
- 4 cups (32 ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 16-ounce can no salt added kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or use leftovers from my homemade black beans recipe)
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
In a large skillet, heat the 3 tbsp of the oil until it starts to shimmer. Add the onion and celery, cooking until translucent (about 7 minutes). Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Remove from heat and set the onion mixture aside to cool.
Wipe out the same skillet. Return to burner and heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the orzo and toast until just starting to brown. Stir in chicken broth and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the orzo has cooked according to package directions. In the last 2 minutes of cook time, stir in the spinach. Remove the pan from heat and pour into a fine colander to drain the remaining liquid.
Pour the orzo and spinach into a large bowl. Stir in the beans, onion mixture, and seasonings. Gently mix with a soft spatula to combine. Serve warm or refrigerate for at least 2 hours to serve cold (both ways are delicious).
Serve with simple grilled fish or chicken and fresh vegetables. This would be great as a main dish, too!
Optional Toppers: Top with a tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley, a sprinkle of fresh shredded parmesan, and/or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a little extra boost of flavor.
