Orzo with Radicchio and Fennel Olive Vinaigrette

This Orzo with Radicchio and Fennel Olive Vinaigrette is fresh and flavorful, easy to make, and, like any salad, perfect for making ahead. Toss it together a few hours to a day before a gathering, and it’ll still taste great when you’re ready to eat. Vinegar soaked sourdough bread plays off briny capers and olives in the vinaigrette. Bitter radicchio and herby fennel fronds add beautiful pops of color. The orzo makes it nice and filling, and an absolute pleasure to enjoy. 

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Orzo with Radicchio and Fennel Olive Vinaigrette Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Orzo with Radicchio and Fennel Olive Vinaigrette:

Orzo

Orzo, of course! I love the way this tiny pasta mixes and mingles with the other ingredients. It’s shaped like large grains of rice, but a little thicker. It’s easy to cook and is great in salads. I opted for organic whole wheat orzo by Delallo, which is made with durum wheat. Typically, I shy away from gluten, but this orzo is too good to pass up and it’s all about moderation, right? 

I haven’t tried a gluten free orzo yet, but Delallo makes one with a blend of corn and rice flour. Jovial also makes one with cassava flour. Jovial makes some pretty incredible gluten free pastas, so I’m sure their orzo is delicious too. 

Sourdough Bread and White Wine Vinegar

Sourdough bread is light, airy and incredibly flavorful. Here, it soaks up the delicious flavor of white wine vinegar transforming a somewhat ordinary bread into something extraordinary. If you opted for gluten free orzo, you can omit the bread. However, I would still suggest adding the white wine vinegar to the vinaigrette. Both white wine and champagne vinegars are wonderful in salad vinaigrettes, so if you don’t have one, try the other. 

Coriander Seeds and Garlic

Here, coriander seeds are slightly toasted then ground with garlic to form the initial paste. Whether they're whole or ground, spices generally taste better when they're toasted. The heat opens up their complex flavors, making them full and smooth instead of harsh and raw.

Capers, Dry Roasted Almonds, Scallions, Fennel Fronds and Black Olives

The bulk of the vinaigrette consists of capers, dry roasted almonds, scallions, fennel fronds and black olives. The salty, briny flavors of the capers and black olives contrasts with the fresh, herby flavors of the fennel fronds and scallions. Dry roasted almonds add texture and a subtle smokey flavor. 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed form of olive oil. Due to this, it retains its natural antioxidants and vitamins, which are often lost during processing. And when you a spend a few dollars more, your olive oil is likely to show the date it was made. You would surprised by how many olive oils on the shelf are more than a few seasons old. Freshness is one of the key reasons to buy better olive oil. When you cook with better olive oil, it’s far easier to make dishes like a simple pasta taste great. 

Radicchio

Radicchio is a gorgeous, leafy vegetable known for its bitterness. When eaten raw, its white and purple leaves have a delightfully bitter flavor. Since its bitterness can be pretty intense, I love to pair radicchio with acidic ingredients like a vinaigrette or fresh citrus. Although you can find radicchio year round, it’s best in the cooler months because its bitterness is more prominent in warmer months. 

Radicchio keeps well for weeks in the refrigerator, should you need to store it that long, though it’s always better to use things sooner than later. In fact, that’s how this recipe came to be – wondering what to do with my week old radicchio! Thankfully, this Fennel Frond Orzo recipe by Heidi Swanson popped to mind and is quickly becoming a staple in our house.  Food52 also has a great article on 16 stellar ways to use radicchio, which I am eager to start trying.

Mortar and Pestle and Alternatives

An age old piece of cooking equipment, the mortar holds the vinaigrette while the pestle crushes it. While it may seem out of place in the modern kitchen, it is especially useful for grinding spices and making vinaigretteslike this one. Using only a few twisting, pounding motions creates a rough yet perfectly blended vinaigrette. 

In a pinch, a food processor will also work well. Just be sure not to overprocess the vinaigrette otherwise you will miss the texture of the capers, almonds, fennel fronds and olives.

I really hope you enjoy this recipe, it is so delicious and a real beauty! Enjoy at room temperature and if you have any leftovers, save them for lunch the next day. This orzo with radicchio and fennel olive vinaigrette makes a light, yet satisfying, meal on its own. Other great meals? Try this Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette or this Herbed Spelt Berry Salad with Peas and Picked Radishes!

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