Ina Garten Orzo Salad With Feta
Ina Garten Orzo Salad With Feta makes a delicious side dish that is in demand for potlucks, picnics, and parties. It’s also hearty enough for a light lunch or dinner on its own.
Ingredients
Orzo:
- 16 ounces uncooked orzo pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 ¼ cups low sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ tsp each salt and pepper
- ½ red onion chopped
Salad:
- 2 ears grilled corn cut off the cob
- 1 English cucumber sliced and quartered
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) drained and rinsed
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives halved
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ½ cup fresh basil chopped
- ½ cup feta
Dressing:
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon each fresh dill, parsley and oregano or 1 teaspoon each dried
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon each garlic powder and salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients for the dressing to a bowl and whisk, or put in a jar and shake. Store in the refrigerator.
- Melt butter and olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add orzo and red onions to melted butter and sauté until red onions are soft, 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken broth, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cook orzo until al dente, 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently in the last couple of minutes to prevent burning.
- Drain orzo if there is leftover liquid. Transfer to a large bowl and place in the refrigerator while you chop your vegetables.
- Mix the orzo with all the salad ingredients, followed by the dressing. Mix well.
- To taste, add additional lemon juice or salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
- Grill Corn: Brush each ear of corn lightly with olive oil. Grease and heat the grill to high heat (450 degrees). Put the corn on once the grill is hot. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side, rotating the corn every 10-12 minutes and closing the lid between rotations until all sides are lightly charred. Let the corn cool slightly before handling. Cut the kernels and place them in a salad bowl.
- Skillet Corn: Slice the kernels off the cob. One tablespoon of olive oil should be heated in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Cook the corn, stirring occasionally, for approximately 5-7 minutes until it starts to char. Transfer the kernels to a salad bowl.
- Don’t overcook orzo: It’s important not to overcook your orzo – you want it al dente so it can hold its shape when it’s mixed with the rest of the ingredients.
- Don’t burn orzo: As opposed to draining off excess water at the end, orzo pasta absorbs all of the liquid it is cooked in. As a result, you will have to pay attention to the orzo toward the end of cooking and stir often so it doesn’t burn.
- Add water if needed: Adding water, 2 tablespoons at a time to the skillet will suffice if all the water is gone and the orzo isn’t done cooking.
- Cool orzo: As soon as the orzo is cooked, transfer it to the large serving bowl you will be using immediately to stop it from cooking.
- Microwave lemons: Ever since I discovered this tip years ago, I use it constantly! When you microwave your lemons for 15 seconds, you’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to juice them (and how much more juice you get)!
- Use fresh corn immediately: Corn used within the first 1-2 days is the sweetest and juiciest. As soon as the corn is harvested, the sugars begin to convert to starch. Keep your corn in the refrigerator to prevent this from happening.
- Purchase shucked corn: You can save some time by purchasing already shucked corn – no more dealing with silk!
Nutrition
Calories: 561kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 19gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 521mgPotassium: 731mgFiber: 8gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 593IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 137mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!