Fig and Tomato Orzo Salad

Hi! Say hello to my lunch I've had all week! Spach the Spatula's Instagram of this fig and tomato orzo salad popped up on my feed a few weeks ago and I was sold. Rachel is fueling my fig frenzy and totally on the same page about this fab fall fruit. This fig quesadilla, nutty fig smoothie, like OMG.

I made a big bowl of this salad Sunday and have been enjoying it all week in my lunch. Such a good change of pace from my lamo spinach salads.  Components include fresh figs, tomatoes, goat cheese, basil and a balsamic reduction poured all over it. Rachel used blue cheese instead of goat cheese which I'm kicking myself for because I am so pro-blue cheese I just read the recipe wrong. The goat cheese was great it sort of melts over the warm pasta, but next time it's blue cheese for sure! I also used basil for my herb because I'm pretty proud of  baby basil plant in my backyard. I try and sneak it into whatever I can.

Fig and Tomato Orzo Salad

Adapted from Spache the Spatula

 

Ingredients:

1 cup dry orzo pasta

2 Tbsp. good-quality olive oil

1 cup halved cherry or plum tomatoes

1 cup quartered black mission figs

1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (or goat if you don't like blue)

2 Tbsp. fresh basil

salt and pepper

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

 

Directions:

Cook the orzo according to your package directions. Drain and put into a large bowl, and toss with the olive oil.

Over medium heat reduce your balsamic vinegar by about half to create the glaze.

Add in the tomatoes, figs, cheese, and basil to the orzo, and toss to combine. Season, to taste with salt and pepper and drizzle generously with the balsamic glaze.

 

 

Makes a great lunch, perfect side dish or for a bite here and then straight from the bowl in the fridge... Take a bite amiright? Oh also good heated up a bit, just a tip.

Annie