Description
Mediterranean Ina Garten orzo salad with shrimp brings coastal flavors to your table. Succulent shrimp, tender orzo, and fresh herbs create a delightful summer dish you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¾ lb (340 g) orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta)
- 2 lbs (907 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined (16 to 18 count)
- ¾ lb (340 g) feta cheese, large diced
- 1 cucumber (hothouse), unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
- 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
- 1 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- ½ cup small-diced red onion
- ¼ cup + extra olive oil (for roasting shrimp)
- ½ cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed, 3 lemons)
- 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more for seasoning)
- ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground (plus more for seasoning)
Instructions
- Thermal Preparation: Calibrate oven to 400°F with center rack placement for uniform heat distribution.
- Pasta Cultivation: Submerge orzo in vigorously boiling salted water, stirring intermittently, and cook until achieving al dente texture, approximately 8-9 minutes. Drain thoroughly and transfer to expansive mixing vessel for rapid cooling.
- Seafood Roasting: Arrange shrimp in elegant single layer on rimmed baking sheet, lavishly coating with extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 5-6 minutes until shrimp transform to opaque coral hues with delicate golden perimeters.
- Flavor Fusion: Immediately integrate roasted shrimp with orzo, then tenderly incorporate scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, red onion, and crumbled feta cheese. Season comprehensively with additional salt and pepper, creating harmonious flavor profile.
- Flavor Maturation: Allow salad to rest at ambient temperature for 30-60 minutes, permitting ingredients to intermingle and develop robust taste dimensions. Alternatively, refrigerate for enhanced flavor complexity. Perform final taste calibration, adjusting seasoning to achieve perfect gustatory balance before serving.
Notes
- Quick Shrimp Roasting Tip: Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet to ensure crispy, evenly cooked shrimp with perfect golden edges.
- Pasta Cooling Technique: Drain orzo immediately and transfer to a wide bowl to stop cooking process and prevent mushy texture.
- Flavor Melding Magic: Let salad rest at room temperature or refrigerate to allow ingredients to blend and intensify taste profile.
- Seasoning Secret: Taste and adjust salt and pepper just before serving to achieve a perfectly balanced and vibrant dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 200 mg