Best 5 Summery Chopped Orzo Salad Recipes

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Orzo, a small rice-shaped pasta, takes center stage in this refreshing and flavorful summer salad. It's a delightful combination of textures and tastes, with tender orzo, crisp vegetables, juicy tomatoes, and salty feta cheese. The zesty dressing, made with lemon juice, olive oil, and herbs, brings it all together. This versatile salad is perfect for a light lunch, a potluck, or a side dish at your next barbecue. With variations including roasted vegetables, grilled shrimp, or even quinoa instead of orzo, there's a version to please everyone. Dive into the recipes and discover your favorite way to enjoy this summery chopped orzo salad.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

MEDITERRANEAN ORZO SALAD



Mediterranean Orzo Salad image

You'll love this easy orzo salad loaded with chopped veggies, fresh herbs and other Mediterranean favorites. Tossed in a bold lemony dressing. For the best flavor, dress the Mediterranean orzo salad while the orzo is still a little warm. Pasta that hasn't cooled completely will drink up the dressing really well. And allow the salad to sit for at least a few minutes (or up to an hour in the fridge) for the flavors to meld before serving.

Provided by Suzy Karadsheh

Categories     Salad

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 ½ cup dry orzo pasta
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, (halved)
2 green onions, (trimmed and chopped (both white and green parts))
½ green bell pepper, (seeds removed, chopped)
1 cup packed chopped fresh parsley, (about 1 ½ ounces)
½ cup packed chopped fresh dill, (about 0.5 ounces)
¼ cup sliced pitted kalamata olives, (about 1 ounce)
2 teaspoons capers
Feta cheese, (to your liking)
1 lemon, (zested and juiced)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, (minced)
1 teaspoon oregano

Steps:

  • Cook the orzo pasta according package instructions (mine took about 8 minutes). Drain and cool briefly.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the grape tomatoes, green onions, bell peppers, parsley, dill, olives and capers (hold the feta for now). Add the orzo pasta.
  • Make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, oregano and a good pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Whisk to combine.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until well combined and the orzo pasta is well coated with the dressing.
  • Top with pieces of creamy feta cheese. Cover and refrigerate for a bit before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 111.1 kcal, Carbohydrate 6.9 g, Protein 1.7 g, SaturatedFat 1.4 g, Cholesterol 0.4 mg, Sodium 39.4 mg, Fiber 2.3 g, ServingSize 1 serving

SUMMER ORZO SALAD



Summer Orzo Salad image

Provided by Geoffrey Zakarian

Categories     side-dish

Time 45m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 bunch scallions
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2/3 cup Kalamata or cured black olives, pitted and chopped
1 cup diced cucumber
1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh chives, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 red onion, finely diced
6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Steps:

  • Preheat a grill to high heat.
  • Toss the scallions in a bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the scallions until the bulbs are tender and the greens are well-charred, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool. (Alternately, you can char the scallions in a cast-iron pan on the stove.) Chop the white and light green parts finely, then discard the remaining ends of the scallions.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the orzo. Drop in the orzo and begin to cook. Meanwhile, add the chopped scallions to a medium bowl. Add the vinegar, Dijon mustard, remaining 1/3 cup olive oil and half of the olives and whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
  • When the pasta is finished cooking, drain and rinse to cool. Immediately toss in some of the vinaigrette, along with the cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, red onion and remaining olives. Mix well. Add more dressing to taste. Top with the goat cheese and serve.

REFRESHING SUMMER ORZO SALAD



Refreshing Summer Orzo Salad image

This is a wonderfully light salad for those hot summer nights. If you like, it goes well with the addition of either tuna or grilled chicken, and you can vary the amount of feta depending on your taste.

Provided by prell2k4

Categories     Salad     Pasta Salad

Time 35m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 14

4 cups chicken broth
1 (16 ounce) package orzo pasta
1 ½ tablespoons butter
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup pine nuts
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 (2 ounce) jar capers, with liquid
12 ounces basil-flavored feta cheese
1 (10 ounce) bag fresh spinach leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Steps:

  • Bring the chicken broth to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo pasta, and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well, then pour the orzo into a bowl, and toss with the butter to keep it from sticking; set aside.
  • While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until the garlic softens and the aroma mellows, about 2 minutes. Stir in the basil, thyme, red pepper flakes, and pine nuts. Cook and stir until the pine nuts have toasted to a light golden brown.
  • Stir the pine nut mixture into the orzo along with the olives, capers, feta cheese, spinach, and lemon juice. Serve either warm or cold, but it's better the next day.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 553.5 calories, Carbohydrate 49.6 g, Cholesterol 43.6 mg, Fat 32.3 g, Fiber 3.8 g, Protein 19.3 g, SaturatedFat 10.8 g, Sodium 1004.1 mg, Sugar 4.8 g

ORZO SALAD



Orzo Salad image

Provided by Giada De Laurentiis

Categories     side-dish

Time 40m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups orzo
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups red and yellow teardrop tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
About 3/4 cup Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Steps:

  • Pour the broth into a heavy large saucepan. Cover the pan and bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Stir in the orzo. Cover partially and cook until the orzo is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Drain the orzo through a strainer. Transfer the orzo to a large wide bowl and toss until the orzo cools slightly. Set aside to cool completely.
  • Toss the orzo with the beans, tomatoes, onion, basil, mint, and enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve at room temperature.
  • Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if desired.
  • Yield: 1 3/4 cups

SUMMER ORZO



Summer Orzo image

I'm always looking for fun ways to use the fresh veggies that come in my Community Supported Agriculture box, and this salad is one of my favorite creations. I like to improvise with whatever I have on hand, feel free to do the same here! -Shayna Marmar, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Lunch     Side Dishes

Time 30m

Yield 16 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 package (16 ounces) orzo pasta
1/4 cup water
1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn
24 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups crumbled feta cheese
1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh mint
2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped, optional
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Steps:

  • Cook orzo according to package directions for al dente. Drain orzo; rinse with cold water and drain well. Transfer to a large bowl., In a large nonstick skillet, heat water over medium heat. Add corn; cook and stir until crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes. Add to orzo; stir in tomatoes, feta cheese, cucumber, onion, mint and, if desired, capers. In a small bowl, whisk oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper until blended. Pour over orzo mixture; toss to coat. Refrigerate 30 minutes., Just before serving, stir in almonds.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 291 calories, Fat 15g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 15mg cholesterol, Sodium 501mg sodium, Carbohydrate 28g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 11g protein.

Tips:

  • Use a variety of vegetables: This will give your salad a nice variety of colors, textures, and flavors. Some good options include tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, and zucchini.
  • Don't overcook the orzo: Orzo is a small pasta that cooks very quickly. Be careful not to overcook it, or it will become mushy.
  • Let the salad cool before serving: This will help the flavors to meld together and make the salad more refreshing.
  • Serve the salad with a variety of toppings: Some good options include feta cheese, crumbled bacon, chopped nuts, or a drizzle of olive oil.
  • Make the salad ahead of time: This salad can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Just be sure to store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve it.

Conclusion:

This summery chopped orzo salad is a delicious and refreshing dish that is perfect for any occasion. It's easy to make, and it can be tailored to your own personal preferences. So next time you're looking for a light and healthy meal, give this salad a try!

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