Cherry Tomato & Orzo Salad
INGREDIENTS
4 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
6 sprigs fresh thyme
5 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup uncooked whole wheat orzo or other small pasta
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ lemon, juiced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 (15 oz) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped basil
Salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Combine 2 cups of your halved cherry tomatoes, thyme sprigs and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl. Spread into an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast 60 to 90 minutes, or until browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Cook orzo according to the package directions. Drain and set aside to cool.
To make the dressing, combine remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, smoked paprika, lemon juice, garlic clove and salt to taste in a small bowl. Mix well.
Combine the roasted cherry tomatoes, orzo, chickpeas, cucumbers, basil and remaining fresh cherry tomatoes in a large bowl.
Pour dressing over orzo mixture and gently stir to combine.
quick tips
Whole wheat Israeli couscous is another great option for this salad instead of orzo.
Roasting the cherry tomatoes deepens their flavor and adds texture to the salad.
Try swapping these herbs for different ones -- oregano, parsley and dill would all work well.