Why orzo works so well in pasta salad, according to chefs
In a pasta salad the criteria change, and orzo meets them all: it absorbs the dressing well and can be enjoyed without cutlery.
Although it looks like a grain, orzo is a type of pasta. It's made with the same durum wheat flour as most dried pasta and can be used in many ways. It's especially delicious in salads, such as a Greek salad with shrimp and cherry tomatoes.
Chef Matthew Dolan of 25 Lusk restaurant says that orzo pairs perfectly with all the other ingredients in a good pasta salad. Furthermore, its grainy texture gives the dish a cereal-like feel, a pleasant alternative to the usual.
Although it resembles rice, orzo is cooked like pasta. With the exact quantities, it could be cooked by absorption, a method reserved for rice and quinoa, but there's no reason not to use a colander as with any other pasta.
For a pasta salad, it's best to add more salt to the cooking water, twice the amount you would normally use. Salads are served cold, and the salty flavor diminishes as they cool, unless the dressing is particularly salty. This way, the pasta won't be bland.
Orzo is also very versatile beyond salads. It can be used in a faux risotto, topped with a light sauce like pesto, or in an Italian wedding soup. Like rice, it can be added at the end of a dish to use up the broth or sauce, making it ideal for one-pot or one-pan meals.
It combines well with other small ingredients, so in a soup it allows you to taste all the ingredients in every bite.
