Published · Last updated · By Martha McKinnon · 11 Comments
Jump to Recipe
WW Recipe of the Day: Trisha Yearwood's Orzo Salad Made Lighter
I turned on The Food Network this morning to discover Trisha Yearwood making a yummy looking orzo salad.
So instead of going out for lunch with Mom today, I suggested she come here.
Then after a quick trip to the grocery store for orzo (rice shaped pasta) and feta cheese, I got busy in the kitchen.
Trisha Yearwood Orzo Salad Made Weight Watchers Friendly
Recipe Notes
Already pretty light and healthy, I made a few minor tweaks to make this orzo salad a little more Weight Watchers friendly:
- Decreased orzo from 1-½ cups to 1 cup
- Increased grape tomatoes from 1-½ cups to 2 cups
- Decreased olive oil from 3 tablespoons to 2
- Added 1 cup chopped cucumber and ½ cup chopped red bell pepper for more bulk
- Added 2 tablespoons chopped pepperoncini (mild Italian pickled peppers) for a little more zing
To keep things simple, I simply cooked the orzo in boiling salted water instead of chicken stock as Trisha had done.
Served with a few sautéed shrimp alongside, Mom and I both agreed that this made for a simply scrumptious lunch.
Tangy and fresh, this is definitely a salad I plan to make again.
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Salad?
According to my calculations, each ¾ cup serving has 180 calories and:
5 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
5 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
5 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
5 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!
Recipe Variations
- Add chopped cooked chicken or shrimp to turn it into a meal in a bowl
- Add more veg to pump up the volume: Chopped red bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, canned drained artichoke hearts, peas, etc.
- Add Greek Seasoning blend
- Top with shaved Parmesan cheese
Are You Ready To Firmly Plant YourselfOn The Path To Lasting Weight Loss Success?
Serving Suggestions
- Burgers
- Grilled Chicken
- Grilled Pork Chops or Pork Tenderloin
- Grilled Fish or Shrimp
- Grilled Vegetables
- Roasted Chicken
More light, healthy delicious salad recipes to consider: WW Orzo Salad with Vegetables, Weight Watchers Chickpea and Feta Salad, Chicken Couscous Salad, Chopped Greek Salad, Classic Macaroni Salad Made Lighter and Healthy Crunchy Tuna Salad
If you've made this healthy Orzo Pasta Salad, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Save Recipe Pin Recipe Print Recipe Rate Recipe
3.93 from 40 votes
Trisha Yearwood Orzo Salad Made Lighter
Tangy and fresh this is a new favorite salad full of Mediterranean flavors I plan to make again and again and again.
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Servings (adjustable): 9
Calories: 180
Author: Martha McKinnon | Simple Nourished Living
Ingredients
- 1 cup orzo
- 15 ounces canned chickpeas, drained
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 20 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- 2 tablespoons pepperoncini, chopped (optional)
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 handful fresh mint, torn
Instructions
Cook the orzo in salted water according to the package directions until done (about 7 to 9 minutes.)
Drain the orzo in a colander (affiliate link) and allow to cool.
In a large bowl, toss together the orzo, chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, feta, olives, pepperoncini (if using), vinegar, oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
Toss in the mint.
Serve at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
Variations:
- Add chopped cooked chicken or shrimp to turn it into a meal in a bowl
- Add more veg to pump up the volume: Chopped red bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, canned drained artichoke hearts, peas, etc.
- Add Greek Seasoning blend
- Top with shaved Parmesan cheese
Serving size: ¾ cup
Click here to see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site.
5 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
5 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
5 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
5 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
Nutrition Facts
Trisha Yearwood Orzo Salad Made Lighter
Amount Per Serving (3 /4 cup)
Calories 180Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Carbohydrates 23g8%
Fiber 3g12%
Protein 6g12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: healthy orzo pasta salad, Mediterranean orzo salad
Did you make this recipe?Mention @simplenourishedliving on Instagram and tag #simplenourishedliving - we love to see your creations!
Source: adapted from Trisha's Table: My Feel-Good Favorites for a Balanced Life (affiliate link) by Trisha Yearwood
*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.
This is how easy it is to create your own Greek orzo salad at home:
More Weight Watchers Friendly Pasta Salad Recipes
- Summer Pasta Salad with Baby Greens (SkinnyTaste)
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad (EmilyBites)
- Ranch BLT Pasta Salad (SlenderKitchen)
- Primavera Pasta Salad with Shrimp (Cookin'Canuck)
- Pea & Arugula Pesto Pasta Salad (EatYourselfSkinny)
- Greek Orzo Pasta Salad (EmilyBites)
- BLT Macaroni Salad (SkinnyTaste)
Search for More Weight Watchers Friendly Salad Recipes
Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.
A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.
She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.
A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.
More about Martha McKinnon
This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!
Subscribe to Get: Top 10 Reader Favorite Recipes
The Top 10 Most Popular Recipes (PDF) on Simple Nourished Living + Weekly Support Emails with Tips & Easy Healthy Recipes Not Found Anywhere Else!
