Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Cannellini Beans

Ingredients

• 1 cup wheat orzo
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup cucumber
• 1 cup cannellini beans
• 0.25 cup onion
• 0.5 cup parsley
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon peppers

Instructions

1. 1Cook the whole wheat orzo in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, about 7-9 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
2. 2While the orzo is cooking, halve the cherry tomatoes and dice the cucumber into small pieces.
3. 3Drain and rinse the cannellini beans to remove excess sodium.
4. 4Finely chop the red onion and parsley.
5. 5For the dressing, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
6. 6In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked orzo, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, cannellini beans, red onion, and parsley.
7. 7Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is well coated.
8. 8Adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or lemon juice as needed.
9. 9Let the salad chill in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together.
10. 10Serve the salad chilled, garnished with additional parsley if desired.