Summer Orzo Salad

5 from 11 votes

Fresh and juicy baby tomatoes, sweet white onion and fresh summer zucchini oven roasted and mixed into al dente orzo with creamy, smooth goat cheese to finish it off. This Summer Orzo Salad with caramelized veggies is sure to be on repeat in your summer recipe rotation.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Appetizer, dinner, lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings:

Calories: 425kcal

Author: Courtney Paige

Equipment

Sauce pot
strainer
9 x 13 baking dish
Knife
Cutting Board
Mixing spoon

Ingredients

2 cups dry orzo
15 oz baby tomatoes
1 medium zucchini squash
1 medium white onion
1 cup corn fresh or frozen
2 tbsp olive oil divided
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
4 oz goat cheese
2 cups spinach

Instructions

First, heat a medium sized pot of water and bring to a boil.
Add orzo to boiling water and cook 1-2 minutes less than recommended box instructions. We want it al dente.
Preheat the oven to 350°. Wash and dice sweet onion, summer zucchini, and halve tomatoes.
Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a pyrex baking dish. Add onions, zucchini, tomatoes, and corn to the dish. Mix vegetables so they’re evenly coated in oil. Sprinkle Italian seasoning and toss again. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
Once the orzo is finished cooking, strain and rinse with cold water. Rinsing will help the pasta from sticking together.
Remove the vegetables from the oven and add the cooked orzo to the baking dish.
Then add goat cheese crumbles, another tablespoon of olive oil and fresh spinach to the dish. Toss everything together (the goat cheese will melt due to the hot vegetables) and serve warm or cold.

Notes

Store in the fridge for up to t days. If serving later, be sure to add dressing of your choice as the orzo will soak up the fresh olive oil and goat cheese spread as it sits.

Cook the orzo al dente! Overcooked orzo will be mushy and stick together, which is not ideal for this Summer Orzo Salad.

Nutrition