Description
Ina Garten’s shrimp orzo salad delivers Mediterranean coastal charm with zesty herbs and succulent seafood. Fresh ingredients blend seamlessly, creating a light, refreshing dish perfect for summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (907 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ¾ lb (340 g) orzo pasta
- ¾ lb (340 g) feta cheese, large diced
- 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
- 1 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
- ½ cup (120 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
- ½ cup good olive oil
- 2 tsps kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 400°F and position a baking sheet for roasting shrimp, ensuring even heat distribution.
- Orzo Cooking: Boil salted water and cook orzo until perfectly al dente, stirring intermittently to prevent clumping, then drain in a colander.
- Vinaigrette Creation: Whisk together lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper to craft a vibrant, zesty dressing.
- Shrimp Roasting: Pat shrimp dry, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then arrange in a single layer on the preheated baking sheet and roast until pink and slightly curled.
- Salad Assembly: Toss warm orzo with vinaigrette, then gently fold in roasted shrimp, scallions, fresh dill, parsley, cucumber, and red onion to create a harmonious Mediterranean-inspired mixture.
- Finishing Touch: Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over the salad, delicately mixing to ensure even distribution of ingredients.
- Flavor Melding: Allow salad to rest at room temperature for one hour or refrigerate overnight, bringing to a slight room temperature before serving to maximize flavor complexity.
Notes
- Maximize Flavor Infusion: Toss warm orzo with vinaigrette immediately after cooking to help pasta absorb zesty lemon and olive oil notes more effectively.
- Perfect Shrimp Roasting: Watch shrimp closely during cooking; they turn pink and curl quickly, taking just 5-6 minutes to prevent overcooking and maintain tender texture.
- Strategic Resting Time: Let salad sit at room temperature for one hour before serving to allow ingredients to blend and develop deeper, more complex flavor profiles.
- Cheese and Herb Tip: Add feta and fresh herbs last to preserve their bright, delicate textures and prevent wilting or becoming soggy in the salad.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Boiling, Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg