Shrimp and Orzo Salad

There are so many shapes of pasta out there. One of my favorites is orzo: rice-shaped pasta. I do not see it used as often as its more popular relatives like spaghetti, penne, linguine et al, which is a shame. I love the fact that orzo can be treated like rice and used to make tomato-based (jollof) or stir-fried dishes. It can be creamy like a risotto or made like rice and served with a stew or sauce. Here I use it to make a cold salad with shrimp and sweet cherry tomatoes. Use a lot of garden-fresh herbs to elevate this salad and feel free to add more vegetables if you want.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Calories: 177 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ cup uncooked orzo pasta
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, or to taste
• 1 pinch salt and ground white pepper to taste
• 12 large shrimp - peeled, deveined, and tails left on
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning blend

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add shrimp and seasoning; cook until shrimp are bright pink on the outside and meat is opaque, about 5 minutes. Remove shrimp from the water and set aside in a bowl.

Step 2

Pour orzo into the seasoned water and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain and add to the bowl with shrimp. Store in the refrigerator to cool.

Step 3

Combine mayonnaise, dill, parsley, basil, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and white pepper together in a bowl. Mix well. Taste and adjust if needed.

Step 4

Remove shrimp and orzo from the refrigerator. Add cherry tomatoes and dressing; stir well. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.