This Tuna Orzo Salad is one of those throw-together recipes I rely on for busy weekdays. This one is taken from my book How to Feed Your Family. It’s fresh, filling and brilliantly versatile -perfect for lunchboxes, picnics or an easy family supper. Feel free to swap the orzo for any small pasta or even cooked rice, and if you’re fish-free simply leave out the tuna! It keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days – just wait to add the dressing until about 15 minutes before serving.
Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Cook time: 10-12 minutes (just the orzo)
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 125 g orzo pasta
- 2 * 160g tins tuna in spring water or olive oil, drained
- 1 tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cucumber, finely diced
- 2 celery sticks, finely diced
- 8 radishes, finely diced
- 10 g fresh basil, leaves torn (plus extra to garnish)
- Dressing: 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard, 3 tbsp mild olive oil
Method
- Cook the orzo according to the packet, drain well and let it steam-dry in the sieve for a couple of minutes, fluffing with a fork to stop clumping.
- Whisk the dressing: combine balsamic and mustard, then slowly whisk in the olive oil until glossy and smooth.
- Combine the salad: in a large bowl mix the celery, radishes, cucumber, beans and tuna. Stir through the warm orzo, then add the dressing and torn basil. Garnish with extra basil and add a little more balsamic vinegar if you like before serving.
Top tip for babies and little ones
Raw veggies can be a bit tricky for babies to manage. If you’re serving this to a baby, set aside some of the orzo and cucumber, and mash the beans with a little tinned tuna to make it easier to eat. For toddlers (around 1–2 years), you might want to finely chop or even grate the veg, and lightly mash the beans, depending on their eating skills.