Springtime Orzo Salad
Welcome back – I’m so happy you’re here!
The summer heat has definitely left me feeling lazy when it comes to cooking these past few weeks. As a result, I've been leaning on some easy, refreshing, meal-prep-friendly (aka only one day of cooking necessary) salads to keep me going. I find that oftentimes my meal preps kind of just feel like different large bowls of mush... but if they taste good, that's all that counts!
One of my favorite bases is orzo. It's easy to prep, keeps well, and gives my meal a nice carby backbone to help me feel full.
Why Orzo Salads Are Perfect for Summer
The best part about orzo salad recipes is that once the orzo is cooked, we're done with the heat. That means you don't have your stove or oven heating up your apartment which, as someone who doesn't have AC in their living room/kitchen, is a huge perk.
Recently I made a spring-inspired orzo salad filled with herbs and fresh veggies that was so delicious, I want to share it with you. I'm going to be honest—I typically just eyeball all of my salad recipes. I would advise you to measure with your heart, but here are some guiding amounts for reference.
Fresh Herb Orzo Salad Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup dry orzo
1 cup peas
5-6 radishes
¼ cup mint
¼ cup basil
½ cup slivered almonds
¼ cup feta
Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool.
Blanch the peas: bring a pot of water to a boil, cook the peas for 1-2 minutes, then immediately transfer them to an ice bath. (This stops the cooking process and keeps them bright green and firm!)
Thinly slice the radishes. I recommend using a mandoline if you have one.
Finely chop your fresh herbs.
Combine everything, toss with dressing, and enjoy!
Make It Your Own
I find that this recipe typically keeps well all week (or as long as it lasts before it all gets eaten). It's also so easy to make it your own. Here are some suggested alternatives if you aren't a huge fan of some of the ingredients, or if you simply want to use up some random odds and ends in your kitchen:
Instead of almonds: pistachios or pine nuts
Instead of peas: chopped and blanched asparagus
Additional greens: parsley and/or arugula make a yummy addition
Instead of radishes: sliced cucumber
Instead of orzo: pearled couscous as the base
Dressing variation: using pesto as a dressing adds a fun twist (I like to add a little extra olive oil so it isn't quite so thick)
I hope you decide to give this recipe a try! There are so many fun ways to personalize it to suit your own taste, and I find it to be such an easy way to keep myself full and nourished all week long.
