Description
This Chopped Fall Pasta Salad combines orzo, fresh arugula, crisp apple, and savory bacon, tossed in a tangy vinaigrette, making it a perfect seasonal dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces DeLallo Orzo Pasta
- 1.5 cups baby arugula
- roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup red onion
- diced small
- 6 tablespoons center cut bacon
- roughly 6 slices chopped small
- ⅓ cup pecans
- toasted and chopped small
- ¾ cup honey crisp apple
- about 1 apple diced small
- ⅓ – ½ cup cheddar cheese
- crumbled
- mild or sharp
- pinch kosher salt
- few turns cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup DeLallo Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon DeLallo Dijon Mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- pinch kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook the orzo pasta according to package instructions; drain and set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled orzo, chopped arugula, red onion, bacon, pecans, honey crisp apple, and cheddar cheese.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, and a pinch of kosher salt.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to an hour to allow flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
For a vegetarian option, omit the bacon and consider adding chickpeas for extra protein.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad, Side Dish, Lunch
- Method: Boiling, Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 445 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
Keywords: Chopped Fall Pasta Salad, pasta salad, fall recipes, arugula salad, orzo salad