I want to take this opportunity and thank Ina Garten for this fantastic recipe.

This is my absolute favorite pasta salad. It’s super simple, packed with amazing, fresh flavors and is pretty fool proof.  It tastes awesome at room temperature, so I make it almost every-time I have a picnic or for any summer potluck parties.

About This Recipe:

The key to this recipe is fresh herbs, as long as you have fresh herbs, you’re good to go!
You can definitely stick to the ingredients listed below, but definitely feel free to tweak per your preference of herbs. I’ve made this using basil + parley…. or Cilantro + chives…. or chives + dill + leeks + parsley…. list goes on and on.
You can make it vegetarian and skip the shrimp, or swap the shrimp for roasted chicken.

Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:

• 4 oz orzo (3/4 cup dried)
• juice of 1 Lemon
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tbsp for the shrimp
• 10-12 large shrimp (peeled)
• 1/3 cup chopped dill
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley
• 1/3 cup chopped scallions
• 1 small cucumber, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup Crumbled Feta (optional)
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large pot, boil some water with salt. Cook the orzo, according to package instruction, until al dente.
3. Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp fresh black pepper. Then add the orzo (while still hot **note 1) to the lemon mixture and toss to mix.
4. Meanwhile, arrange the shrimp on a baking sheet with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 6 minutes. Once cooked, add to the orzo mix along with the chopped veggies. Give it a good toss.
5. Crumble on some feta (if using).

Note:

1. It’s best to add the orzo to the lemon vinaigrette straight out of the boiling water, while still hot, they absorb more liquid and flavors when they’re hot.