Shrimp Orzo Salad

This deliciously fresh shrimp orzo salad is perfect for a summer supper, or as an elegant side dish.

Summer is the perfect time for a delicious, fresh salad. Most green leafy salads, however, just aren’t satiating enough. Fortunately, throwing in a grain, protein, fresh veggies, and plenty of fresh herbs is a great way to have a salad that’s actually enjoyable. This shrimp orzo salad is the perfect dish if you want something easy and quick to make that’s still impressive for your summer guests.

First, start by bringing 4 cups of water and your orzo up to a boil on the stove. While you’re waiting for it to get up to temp, you can start preparing all of the veggies and herbs. Dice your red onion, quarter and thinly slice your English cucumber, halve your Kalamata olives, juice your lemons, mince your garlic, thinly slice your green onions, and finely chop all your fresh herbs.

Once your orzo has boiled, uncovered, for 10 minutes, drain the excess water and return the orzo to the pan. Pour in half of the olive oil, and stir gently. This will help keep the orzo from sticking together as it cools. Then, set aside your orzo and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Then, heat 2 tablespoons of your olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add your shrimp and saute until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Once cooked, remove them from heat and allow to cool to room temp.

To make the dressing, whisk together the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, fresh herbs, ground black pepper, and salt. Then, gently mix together the cooled orzo and shrimp, red onion, cucumber, and olives. Toss with dressing and top with feta and green onions. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you do, please be sure to give it a rating in the comment section. And don’t forget to tag me @HookomOnHealth and use the #HookomOnHealth when sharing your creation online!

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5 from 1 vote

Shrimp Orzo Salad

This deliciously fresh shrimp orzo salad is perfect for a summer supper, or as an elegant side dish.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Keyword: grain bowl, orzo, seafood, shrimp, shrimp orzo salad

Servings: 8 people

Author: Amanda Hookom @HookomOnHealth

Ingredients

• 2 cup orzo dry
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 lb raw shrimp deveined, peeled, tails removed
• 1/2 medium red onion diced
• 1 small English cucumber quartered and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives halved
• 2 lemons juiced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh dill finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh mint finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup feta crumbled
• 4 green onions thinly sliced

Instructions

• Bring orzo and 4 cups of water up to a boil in a medium saucepan on the stove.  Boil, uncovered for about 10 minutes, or until orzo is tender. Drain excess water, return orzo to pan or bowl, mix in half of the olive oil (¼ cup), set aside, and allow to cool.
• Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add shrimp and saute until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.
• Whisk together remaining olive oil (2 tablespoons), lemon juice, garlic, fresh herbs, ground black pepper, and salt to make a dressing.
• In a large bowl mix together orzo, shrimp, red onion, cucumber and olives.  Toss with dressing and top with feta and green onions.

Video

Notes

• Mixing some of the olive oil with the orzo immediately after cooking it may sound strange, but it’ll help keep the orzo from sticking together as it cools.
• I highly recommend using fresh herbs, but if you are using dried, use 1/3 the amount.
• Try out farro, bulgar, quinoa, or another whole grain or pasta instead of orzo to make an entirely new dish!