Lemon Herb Orzo Salad with Spinach

Name: Lemon Herb Orzo Salad with Spinach
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1½ cups (300 g) dried orzo; 1 tablespoon (15 g) kosher salt, for the pasta water; 5 ounces (140 g) baby spinach, washed, dried, and roughly chopped; 1 medium (300 g) English cucumber, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 1 cup (150 g) cherry tomatoes, halved; 4 whole (60 g) green onions, thinly sliced; ½ cup (15 g) fresh dill, loosely packed, fronds finely chopped; ½ cup (25 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, loosely packed leaves, finely chopped; 6 ounces (170 g) feta cheese, crumbled; 1 tablespoon (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for coating the cooked orzo; 2 large (240 g) lemons, zested (about 2 tablespoons zest), then juiced (about ⅓ cup / 80 ml juice); ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, finely grated or minced; 1 teaspoon (5 g) Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon (7 g) honey; ½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender orzo tossed while still warm with a bright lemon-garlic dressing, fresh dill and parsley, baby spinach, cucumber and feta. It's a make-ahead Mediterranean salad that's great at room temperature or chilled.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 10 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr
Makes: About 8 cups (6 side-dish servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the salad
1½ cups (300 g) dried orzo
1 tablespoon (15 g) kosher salt, for the pasta water
5 ounces (140 g) baby spinach, washed, dried, and roughly chopped
1 medium (300 g) English cucumber, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
1 cup (150 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
4 whole (60 g) green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup (15 g) fresh dill, loosely packed, fronds finely chopped
½ cup (25 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, loosely packed leaves, finely chopped
6 ounces (170 g) feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for coating the cooked orzo
For the dressing
2 large (240 g) lemons, zested (about 2 tablespoons zest), then juiced (about ⅓ cup / 80 ml juice)
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves (8 g) garlic, finely grated or minced
1 teaspoon (5 g) Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon (7 g) honey
½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground

Equipment (7)

Large pot (4–5 quart / 4–5 L)
Fine-mesh strainer or colander
Large rimmed baking sheet (for cooling the orzo)
Large mixing bowl (4 quart / 4 L)
Small bowl or jar for the dressing
Microplane or fine grater
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you prep the herbs and vegetables.
Wash and thoroughly dry the spinach and herbs; wet leaves dilute the dressing and wilt quickly.
Zest the lemons before juicing them; it is much harder to do afterward.
Plan for 30 minutes of cooling time so the spinach doesn't wilt from hot pasta.

1
Boil salted water
- Fill a large pot with about 3 quarts (3 L) of water, add 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
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Ready when: Large, vigorous bubbles break the surface constantly.
Tip: Use plenty of water so the orzo doesn't clump.
2
Prep the vegetables
- While the water heats, dice the cucumber into ½-inch pieces, halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the green onions, and chop the spinach, dill and parsley.
- Zest both lemons, then juice them.
- Set the zest and juice aside.
- Crumble the feta.
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Ready when: Everything is chopped and set out in bowls or on the board.
Tip: Pat the cucumber and herbs dry so the salad isn't watery.
3
Cook the orzo
- Add the orzo to the boiling water and stir right away.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–9 minutes, or 1 minute less than the package directions for a tender but slightly firm bite.
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Ready when: A grain bitten in half is tender with a tiny hint of chew and no chalky white center.
Tip: Stir in the first minute to stop the grains sticking to the pot bottom.
4
Drain and cool orzo
- Drain the orzo in a fine-mesh strainer (do not rinse).
- Spread it on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat.
- Let it cool for 10 minutes, tossing once or twice, until just warm to the touch.
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Ready when: Orzo feels barely warm and the grains separate easily.
Tip: Skip rinsing; surface starch helps the dressing cling.
5
Whisk the dressing
- In a small bowl or jar, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, ⅓ cup olive oil, grated garlic, Dijon, honey, ½ teaspoon salt and the pepper.
- Whisk or shake until thick and emulsified.
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Ready when: Dressing looks creamy and doesn't separate when whisked.
Tip: Make the dressing while the orzo cools so the garlic mellows slightly in the lemon juice.
6
Dress the warm orzo
- Transfer the just-warm orzo to a large mixing bowl and pour in about three-quarters of the dressing.
- Toss well and let it sit for 10 minutes so the orzo absorbs the flavors.
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Ready when: Orzo looks glossy and smells strongly of lemon.
Tip: Warm pasta absorbs dressing far better than cold.
7
Fold in the add-ins
- Add the spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, green onions, dill, parsley and most of the feta (save about ¼ cup for topping).
- Fold gently with a large spoon until the spinach is evenly distributed and just beginning to soften.
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Ready when: Spinach and herbs are evenly speckled throughout with no dry clumps of orzo.
Tip: Fold rather than stir hard so the feta stays in chunks.
8
Taste and serve
- Taste and add the remaining dressing, a pinch of salt, or a squeeze more lemon if needed.
- Top with the last of the feta and serve at room temperature, or chill for up to 1 hour.
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Ready when: Salad tastes bright and well seasoned, with lemon noticeable but not sharp.
Tip: Cold dulls seasoning, so re-season if serving chilled.

Good to know

Tips

Slightly undercook the orzo; it keeps softening as it absorbs dressing.
Dress the orzo while warm, but add spinach only after it cools so the leaves stay bright green.
Grate the garlic finely so there are no harsh raw chunks.
Reserve a little dressing to freshen the salad if it sits for a few hours.

Make ahead

Cook the orzo and make the dressing up to 1 day ahead; store separately in the fridge. Toss the orzo with the dressing, then add vegetables, herbs, spinach and feta within 2 hours of serving. The fully assembled salad also holds well for 1 day.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 3 days (spinach softens after day 1). Freezing is not recommended. Serve chilled or let stand 15 minutes at room temperature, then refresh with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.

Substitutions

feta cheese → goat cheese, or chickpeas for dairy-free. Use 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) drained chickpeas; add a pinch more salt.
dried orzo → gluten-free orzo or small shell pasta. Check cooking time; gluten-free orzo overcooks quickly, so start testing at 6 minutes.
baby spinach → baby arugula. Gives a peppery bite; use the same weight.
honey → maple syrup. Use the same amount; makes the dressing vegan if you also skip the feta.