Copycat Piada Orzo Salad

Venue scouting weekend. Megan wanted to look at three places Saturday — a lakeside event hall, a rooftop spot downtown, and the Polish Center of Wisconsin out on West Oklahoma. I already knew which one I wanted before we walked in the door. The Polish Center has this big ballroom with a stage, wood floors that have seen ten thousand polka dances, and a kitchen that can actually handle a real meal. The other two places were nice. The Polish Center felt like home.

Megan surprised me. She walked around the ballroom, ran her hand along one of the tables, looked up at the ceiling, and said, "This is where we're getting married." I could have kissed her right there. Actually I did kiss her right there, which the venue coordinator thought was very sweet.

After touring venues we drove to my parents' house for Sunday dinner. Dad made his classic pot roast — he only makes three things but he makes them all really well, and pot roast is the crown jewel. Tom Kowalski doesn't cook often, but when he does he goes all in. Three hours in the oven, onions and carrots and potatoes, the whole apartment smelling like Sunday when we were growing up. Linda made her cucumber salad to go with it, thin-sliced cucumbers in sour cream and dill. Simple. Perfect.

We told them about the Polish Center and Linda actually got up from the table and hugged Megan, which was the moment I realized my mom has completely adopted this woman into our family. Dad just nodded and said, "Good. Good choice." Highest praise in the Tom Kowalski vocabulary.

I've been thinking about the reception menu all week. Pierogi are non-negotiable, as established. I want bigos too — the hunter's stew, cabbage and sausage and whatever meat you've got. It's peasant food elevated by time and patience, which is basically my whole cooking philosophy. Megan keeps gently suggesting a salad option and I keep gently agreeing while continuing to plan a meal that is forty percent pork products. We're finding a balance.

Posted a pot roast spinoff this week on RecipeSpinoff — Dad's version versus mine. Mine has smoked paprika and a splash of dark beer from work. Dad's reaction when I showed him: "Why would you put beer in pot roast?" I didn't have a good answer except that it tastes great, which I think is always a valid reason.

Megan has been patient about the reception menu — genuinely patient, not the kind where you agree out loud and then go back to planning bigos — so when she mentioned the orzo salad from Piada as something she’d actually love to see on the table, I paid attention. After a Sunday where Linda’s cucumber salad reminded me how much a simple, well-dressed side dish can anchor a meal, I went home and built this version out. It’s bright and herby and holds up beautifully at room temperature, which matters when you’re feeding a ballroom full of people who just danced a polka.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 25 min (plus 30 min chill) | Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dry orzo pasta
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup English cucumber, quartered and sliced
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chiffonade
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Cook the orzo. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook orzo according to package directions until just al dente, about 8—9 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop cooking, and spread on a sheet pan to cool completely.
Make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Combine the salad. In a large bowl, toss the cooled orzo with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, red onion, and roasted red peppers. Pour vinaigrette over the top and toss to coat evenly.
Add the finishing touches. Fold in the feta, parsley, and basil gently so the feta doesn’t break down completely. You want visible crumbles throughout.
Chill and serve. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors come together. Give it a good stir before serving and add a splash more lemon juice if it needs brightening after chilling.

Nutrition (per serving)

Copycat Piada Orzo Salad — The Salad Compromise (Megan Wins This Round)