Orzo Salad With Shrimp
A delightful dish that blends tender orzo pasta with juicy shrimp, fresh vegetables, and a bright lemony vinaigrette, perfect for a light lunch or as a side for dinner.
Ingredients
For the Base
- 0.75 lb orzo pasta
- 0.75 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined Can substitute with cooked chicken or chickpeas.
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 0.5 cup red onion, chopped
- 0.5 cup scallions, sliced
- 0.5 cup cucumber, diced
- 0.25 cup fresh dill, chopped
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 0.5 cup crumbled feta (optional) Consider reducing or omitting for a lighter dish.
For the Vinaigrette
- 0.25 cup lemon juice
- 1 zest lemon
- 0.5 tsp Dijon mustard
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp pepper
- 0.33 cup olive oil
Instructions
Preparation
- Boil water in a large pot and cook the orzo according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a bowl, toss shrimp with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Sauté or roast until pink and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Let shrimp cool after cooking.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and olive oil until smooth.
- In a large bowl, mix the cooled orzo, cooked shrimp, red onion, scallions, cucumber, dill, and parsley.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine. If desired, gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
Drizzle extra olive oil just before serving for a glossy finish. Use a microplane for zesting the lemon to get the finest zest.