About
The tender texture of orzo is a surprisingly versatile and solid base for a host of summer flavors... all of which come together for this amazing Summer Orzo! With tender-crisp asparagus, tangy feta cheese, sugary snap peas, and plenty of lemony flavors, you'll find all the summer joy you can handle in a single bite of Summer Orzo! But of course, one bite isn't enough — you just need a whole bowl of this all to yourself!
Ingredients
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 shallot, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 extra-large bunch asparagus, woody ends removed, spears cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup snap peas
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper, plus more, to taste
- 2 lemons, zested and juiced, divided
- 1/2 cup fresh dill, can substitute basil, parsley, or tarragon
- feta, optional, to taste, crumbled, for topping
- 1 tablespoon preserved lemon, optional, finely chopped, for topping
Directions
Step 1 -In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the orzo until al dente, according to the package directions.
Step 2 -Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water, draining the remainder.
Step 3 -In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
Step 4 -Add the shallots and the garlic and cook, while stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 5 -Add the asparagus and the snap peas to the shallot mixture and lower the heat to medium-low.
Step 6 -Cook the asparagus mixture, stirring frequently and making sure to scoop the shallot pieces from the bottom of the skillet, until the veggies are tender-crisp, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 7 -Season the shallot mixture with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper, and the zest from 1 of the lemons.
Step 8 -Add the warm orzo to the shallot mixture in the skillet.
Step 9 -Add the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until the orzo mixture is loosened slightly. You may not need all or any of the reserved pasta water.
Step 10 -Add the remaining olive oil, the juice from 1 of the lemons, and the remaining lemon zest and stir to combine.
Step 11 -Add the fresh dill to the orzo mixture and fold to combine.
Step 12 -Sprinkle the orzo mixture with the feta.
Step 13 -Taste for seasoning and add the extra salt, the extra pepper, and the remaining lemon juice as desired. You may not need all of the remaining lemon juice.
Step 14 -Sprinkle with the preserved lemon and serve.
