I first made this spring orzo salad in December, totally out of season at the time but still completely delicious. I made it for our Christmas cooking club and needless to say, it was a hit, along with the wonderful food the rest of the group made. How long it takes: 25 minutes Equipment you’ll need: large pan for pasta, mixing bowl, small food processor or blender Servings: 6 No one cared that asparagus wasn’t in season at the time. They only cared about the fresh and bright flavors of this pasta salad. They cared about the peppery arugula, the salty artichokes, the irresistible pine nuts, and the bright citrus herb dressing. Or at least I’m guessing they did. I sure did! We ate leftover salad the next day and it tasted fantastic leftover, too. (I confess, I ate it for breakfast.) This is one of my favorite pasta salads for summer, and I think you guys will love it just as much as I do.
Why You’ll Love This Spring Orzo Salad
Packed full of spring flavors: With crisp asparagus, spicy arugula, creamy artichokes and a tangy lemon basil vinaigrette, this salad sings like the happy birds saying hello to spring. Easy to make: You can have this salad ready in less than a half an hour. Orzo is a quick-cooking pasta and you can cook the asparagus in the same boiling water. The dressing is easy to whip up, too. Take the time to toast the pine nuts, it’s really easy and takes about 5 minutes. Learn how to toast pine nuts, Healthy: Green is good, right? There’s lots of green in this orzo salad (and only 313 calories.
More Orzo Salads
I love orzo salads! Orzo pasta fits right on your fork with whatever else may be in the salad. You always get a little bit of everything in one bite.
We have bruschetta orzo salad (another one of my faves!), creamy southwestern orzo salad (this one is always a HUGE hit!), orzo salad with yogurt dill dressing, and Greek orzo salad with shrimp.
Ingredients For This Recipe
How To Make Spring Orzo Salad
Cook the pasta and asparagus. Bring a large pan of water to a boil and cook the orzo according to package directions. Because it’s a small pasta, it cooks quickly. A few minutes before the orzo is done, add the chopped asparagus to the pan to cook. Put a colander into your sink and drain the orzo/asparagus mixture. Rinse it with cold water and drain well. Set aside. While the orzo and asparagus are cooking, prep the dressing. A small food processor or blender works well. Process the basil, olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, honey, salt, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder until the dressing is smooth and emulsified. Combine the orzo, asparagus, arugula, artichoke hearts, and parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Add vinaigrette and mix until the salad is coated. Reserve the pine nuts until you’re ready to serve the salad. Serve the salad immediately, garnished with lemon wedges, if desired. Enjoy!
Make it Your Own
Make it a meal. This spring orzo salad is absolutely fantastic (like so, so, so good) topped with grilled chicken or grilled salmon for a complete summer meal. It serves four to six if plated in this manner. For a vegetarian main course salad, add protein with chickpeas. Add or substitute. Try baby spinach if you’re not a fan of the spicy flavor of arugula. Crumbled feta cheese can be substituted for Parmesan cheese. Instead of asparagus, try sugar snap peas or garden peas. Fresh mint or parsley can be added.
Make Ahead Ideas
Much of the salad can be prepped up to a day ahead and stored separately in the refrigerator. Make the vinaigrette, cook the orzo and asparagus, grate the Parmesan, and toast the pine nuts. An hour before you’re ready to serve the salad, remove the vinaigrette from the refrigerator to allow it to warm up a bit. Sometimes olive oil hardens a little when it’s cold. Shake or whisk the vinaigrette before adding it to the salad. Add the toasted pine nuts immediately before serving so they stay crisp.
Storage Tips
This salad is best served immediately or within a few hours of making it. It tastes great leftover but the pine nuts do get a bit soggy and the arugula will wilt. That doesn’t stop me from eating the leftovers for a couple days, but you should be aware of it. Quick-Start Guide!
