Copycat Piada Orzo Salad

This orzo salad is a copycat of the one sold at Piada Italian Street Food… it’s crunchy, a little sweet, a little savory, and always a hit at parties!

If you’ve ever been to Piada Italian Street Food, you’ve probably had, or heard of, the orzo salad.  This copycat recipe tastes JUST like it!!

Piada Italian Street Food used to have a side dish on their menu that we all loved, and this is my copycat version of that.

It tastes exactly like the original, and is absolutely perfect for any occasion!

To me, it’s awesome for a cookout or BBQ, but we also have it a side dish on a regular weeknight.

What makes this orzo salad the best, is that it’s a make-ahead dish!  It’s actually better, the longer it sits.  Of course, you can totally make this and eat it right away, but all the flavors won’t be perfectly blended together.

Plus, if you make it up ahead of time, then when it’s time for dinner or the cookout, you don’t have to do anything 😉 Boom!

As far as what to serve this salad with… honestly the sky is the limit!  But here are a few of my favorites:

• Caribbean Citrus Habanero Chicken Skewers
• Grilled Steakhouse Kebabs
• Maple Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops
• Grilled Chicken Salad with Strawberries
• Coffee-Rubbed Burgers or Pepper Crusted Bacon Cheeseburgers

Please please please do yourself a favor and give this orzo salad a try this summer… the combination of textures and sweet/savory flavors is amazing!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!

Copycat Piada Orzo Salad

3.67 from 9 votes

Author: The Chunky Chef

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Calories: 293

Servings: 8 servings

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This orzo salad is a copycat of the one sold at Piada Italian Street Food... it's crunchy, a little sweet, a little savory, and always a hit at parties!

Ingredients

LEMON BASIL DRESSING:

• ▢ 3 Tbsp lemon juice (fresh is best)
• ▢ 3 Tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 1 Tbsp fresh basil, minced
• ▢ 1/2 Tbsp honey
• ▢ 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ 1/4 tsp black pepper

ORZO SALAD:

• ▢ 1 lb orzo pasta
• ▢ heaping 1/3 cup fresh sugar snap peas, sliced
• ▢ 1/8 cup currants (raisins will also work if you can't find currants)
• ▢ 1/4 cup red bell pepper, minced
• ▢ 1/8 cup sliced raw almonds
• ▢ 1/8 cup candied pecans, crushed or minced
• ▢ 1 Tbsp fresh basil, minced
• ▢ 1 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

MAKE THE DRESSING:

• Add all dressing ingredients except olive oil to a small mixing bowl.  Slowly pour in olive oil, while whisking continuously.  Set aside.

MAKE THE ORZO SALAD:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt and orzo.  Cook until al dente, according to package directions.  Drain, rinse lightly with cold water and set aside.
• To a large mixing bowl, add cooked orzo, and all remaining ingredients.  Toss to combine.
• Give lemon basil dressing a whisk, then pour over orzo salad.  Toss to combine again.  
• Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to 2-3 days.  Toss gently before serving.

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Nutrition Disclaimer

The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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