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Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Tomatoes

Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Tomatoes

I found this lemon orzo salad with asparagus and tomatoes recipe on A Big Mouthful and I am so glad I did because it was light, healthy, and full of flavor.  The lemon gave the orzo a nice summery feel and the asparagus and tomatoes made it seem a little more hearty.  I served this delicious salad with the Paprika Panko Crusted Chicken Thighs and the Italian Salad with Fresh Basil Vinaigrette.  The whole meal was delicious but the orzo was my favorite part of dinner.  My husband took the leftovers to work the next day and he said it was really tasty.

Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Tomatoes

How to Make Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Tomatoes

Boil a pot of salted water over high heat.  Add the orzo and cook per instructions.  Add the chopped asparagus to the boiling water/orzo 2 minutes before the orzo finishes cooking.  Drain the orzo and asparagus, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.  Add the orzo and asparagus to the skillet and toss to coat evenly.

Add the lemon juice, zest, tomatoes, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste then gently mix until well combined. Add some reserved cooking liquid if needed. Place into a serving dish then top with freshly chopped parsley and Parmesan if desired. Enjoy.

Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Tomatoes

 

Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Tomatoes

Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Tomatoes

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 5
Author: Pam / For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 6 oz of orzo cooked per instructions
  • 6 asparagus spears chopped into thirds
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • Handful of grape tomatoes sliced in half lengthwise
  • Zest and juice from half a lemon
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Boil a pot of salted water over high heat. Add the orzo and cook per instructions. Add the chopped asparagus to the boiling water/orzo 2 minutes before the orzo finishes cooking. Drain the orzo and asparagus, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
  • Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the orzo and asparagus to the skillet then toss to coat evenly.
  • Add the lemon juice, zest, tomatoes, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste then gently mix until well combined. Add some reserved cooking liquid if needed. Place into a serving dish then top with freshly chopped parsley and Parmesan if desired. Enjoy.
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GIVEAWAY WINNER:

The winner of the Spicy Apron is comment number 94:

Susan Martin — May 4, 2012 

Thanks for posting the giveaway- think the tangerine flowers apron is my fav. Been following your site for quite a while and think you are the greatest! Thanks for the great recipes, beautiful photography, and easy-to-print feature.

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30 Comments

  1. I may have to try orzo someday. Never have but I see a lot of recipes with it that sound really yummy! And I love asparagus! These colors draw me in.

  2. Hi Susan!
    Thank you very much for providing this recipe! I tried it this weekend, my husband and kids loved it and they are asking for more 🙂 , next time I will do a larger quantity.

    Thanks again

  3. This looks so fresh and “Springy”, Pam! I imagine it was the perfect side dish to the Panko Crusted Chicken. You make the most amazing meals!

  4. This looks so good I am going to make it for Mother’s Day this weekend with our grilled salmon! Love your site and have printed out more recipes than you can imagine. I am never disappointed-thanks!

  5. I love orzo salad and it almost tastes better the next day once the flavors have had a chance to mesh together. It’s also a great leftover salad because it tastes great cold as well. I could see throwing some feta cheese on top of this! Yum!

  6. I made this tonight with hamburgers. A nice quick dinner. What a great side dish! I love your orzo with peas and parmesan too!

  7. Made this last night to go with my salmon with pesto. It was a great go along. I used a little fresh basil instead of parsley since I was out and it was really good. Thanks!

  8. This salad is delicious. I have one question, is it meant to be served cold,warm or room temp?

  9. This was amazing. I diced a whole tomato because I didn’t have grape tomatoes on hand. The lemon taste is soooo good. Not overpowering at all. Thanks