Orzo Salad with Radish and Fennel

I was pleasantly surprised by how good this little salad was! The radish/fennel combo is just the right combination of sweet, spicy, and crunchy. The mint brings out the anise flavor in the fennel, and the pine nuts add a nice contrast in texture. The simple dressing holds it all together, and the warm pasta really absorbs it so the salad doesn't seem overdressed. This would be great for a spring/summer BBQ or picnic. I can't wait to share it!

I'm surprised at how many "awesome" reviews this pasta salad received. I had to make significant modifications to have it taste decent. I wanted to really like this one since I have tons of radishes and was looking for a recipe to incorporate, but it just fell flat. Admittedly, I don't like fennel so we left that out of the recipe so perhaps that is the winning ingredient to those who really enjoyed this pasta dish. My modifications included dry mustard and white balsamic vinegar in lieu of the prepared mustard plus garlic and onion powder (about a tbsp. each) and more olive oil plus 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Served with simple grilled chicken and steamed green beans. Not terrible at the end, but not good enough to ever think of making again in the future

Freaking delicious. I left off the pine nuts (saving 76 calories a serving this way) because I packed this for lunch at the office. After the first bite, I was delighted. It maybe could do with some more flavor, but what it has is enough and light and fresh and filling -- this is the perfect summertime lunch. I'm excited I have 3 more servings and most of the ingredients to make it again!

Love this! One of my favorite things to do with all the radishes from my garden. I incorporate the radish greens too for extra nutrition. I chop them up then wilt them with the cooked pasta before adding the remaining ingredients. I roast the fennel before adding it, and I use a bit less mint than this calls for.

I LOVE this salad. It is so great for summer with really light and fresh flavors. A great side for grilled entrees. I made it recently with some kebabs and it went spectacularly. Read more about it here http://gustatorydelight.wordpress.com/2011/07/15/grilling-for-a-yalie-after-two-weeks-of-radio-silence/

I made this salad for a barbeque last weekend and it was a big hit! My radishes were very spicy, so I chopped them coarsely. The heat was disbursed and the flavors mixed beautifully. Other than that, I didn't change a thing.

I saw this in the Cooking Light magazine and decided to make as a going away dish on a warm evening for a friend who is vegetarian. The dish is perfect for a warm evening/light summertime dinner. The dressing was tangy (although I thought it needed a bit more lemon and pepper, which I added), and the ingredients came together in a nice way and rather quickly. I used it as a main dish for 3 people, and it was about right for us, served with some watermelon. My husband, in particular, loved this dish.