Giada orzo salad from Giada De Laurentiis tops a chopped antipasti salad with crispy fried orzo instead of croutons. And the salad serves 6 at approximately 380 calories per serving in about 19 minutes, since the orzo fries in just 4 while you toss the greens.
Where most orzo salads boil the pasta and toss it into the bowl soft, Giada par-cooks it first, then fries it in olive oil until golden and crunchy. So the orzo acts like a crispy topping that adds texture to every bite instead of blending into the other ingredients.
Getting the frying oil hot enough before adding the par-cooked orzo is the step that makes or breaks the crunch. And if the oil is not at temperature, the pasta absorbs it instead of crisping, so you end up with greasy, soft grains instead of golden, crunchy ones.
Source: Giada De Laurentiis (Giadzy.com)
Giada Orzo Salad
Course: PastaCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes4
minutes380
kcalA dressing of green olive tapenade, Calabrian chili paste, oregano, vinegar, and olive oil coats sliced romaine, roasted red pepper, provolone, salami, and shaved fennel. Then par-cooked orzo fries golden in hot olive oil and scatters over the top right before serving.
Ingredients
- For the dressing:
2 tablespoons jarred green olive tapenade
1/2 teaspoon Calabrian chili paste
1 1/2 teaspoons dry oregano
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- For the salad:
1 to 2 hearts of romaine lettuce, sliced thin
2 roasted red peppers, sliced into thin strips
1 (6-oz.) combo package of provolone and genoa salami, sliced thin
1 fennel bulb, shaved thin
- For the crispy orzo:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup par-cooked orzo pasta
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
- Make the dressing: Whisk the tapenade, chili paste, oregano, vinegar, and olive oil in a large bowl, then season with salt.
- Toss the salad: Then add the romaine, roasted red pepper, fennel, provolone, and salami, and toss well to coat.
- Heat the frying oil: While the salad rests, heat the 1/2 cup olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
- Fry the orzo: Once the oil is hot, add the par-cooked orzo and fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes.
- Drain and season: Then use a slotted spoon to transfer the crispy orzo to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt.
- Top and serve: Once drained, sprinkle the crispy orzo over the dressed salad and serve immediately.
FAQs
How do I par-cook the orzo before frying?
Boil the orzo in salted water for about half the time the package suggests, so it is cooked through but still very firm. And drain it well and spread it on a sheet pan to dry, because excess water on wet pasta causes the hot oil to splatter.
Patting the drained orzo with paper towels also helps, since every drop of surface moisture fights the frying oil. And let it cool to room temperature before frying, because cold pasta lowers the oil temperature and leads to soggy results instead of crispy ones.
Can I use a different pasta shape for frying?
Small shapes like ditalini or acini di pepe fry well since they are close to the same size as orzo. But anything larger than a penne takes much longer to crisp and absorbs too much oil in the process.
And the whole point of the crispy orzo is that each grain crunches like a tiny crouton, so the shape matters. Since orzo is the smallest common pasta, it fries fastest and delivers the most even crunch across the salad.
What can I substitute for Calabrian chili paste?
Calabrian chili paste brings a fruity, medium heat that is less sharp than crushed red pepper flakes. And if you cannot find it, a pinch of red pepper flakes mixed with a small squeeze of tomato paste mimics the body without the exact flavor.
But the heat level is mild at just 1/2 teaspoon, so the swap does not dramatically change the salad. And Calabrian chili paste lasts months in the fridge after opening, so one jar covers this recipe and many others from Giada’s Italian pantry, including the tomato sauce in the giada chicken cacciatore.
Can I make the salad ahead?
Dress and toss the salad up to 1 hour before serving, since the romaine holds up against the vinaigrette better than delicate greens. But do not add the crispy orzo until the moment you serve, because it absorbs moisture from the dressing within minutes and loses all its crunch.
And you can fry the orzo up to 2 hours ahead and hold it on the paper towel-lined plate at room temperature. Since it crisps from the oil coating on its surface, it stays crunchy longer than a breadcrumb-based topping would.
What protein can I add to make this a main course?
The salami and provolone already provide protein, but grilled chicken or shrimp turns this into a fuller plate. And seared shrimp would echo the Italian direction well, since the tapenade dressing pairs with seafood the same way it does with the cured meats.
For a full Giada spread, serve this salad as a starter before the giada bison bolognese, because the crispy orzo on this salad contrasts the soft pappardelle in the main course. But keep the added protein lightly seasoned, since the tapenade and chili paste already carry enough flavor for the whole plate.
