Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad with Asparagus
Chilled orzo pasta salad with a fresh lemon vinaigrette dressing, asparagus, fresh dill and feta cheese.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time5 minutes mins
Total Time15 minutes mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon vinaigrete, orzo pasta salad
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 259kcal
Cost: $5
- 8 oz orzo pasta cooked according to package directions
- 1 pound asparagus trimmed into 1 inch pieces
- ⅛ cup light olive oil plus more for sautéing
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 large lemon juice of
- 1 teaspoon honey or agave
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt more or less to taste
- coarse ground black pepper to taste
- 4 oz feta cheese crumbled
- 2-3 sprigs fresh dill minced
Boil orzo according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until no longer hot.
In the same pan sauté the asparagus with a bit of olive oil until bright green and slightly tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Whisk the minced shallot, ⅛ cup olive oil, teaspoon of agave or honey, juice of one lemon, a teaspoon of coarse salt and coarse black pepper until blended.
Toss the cooked orzo pasta, asparagus, and half of the whisked lemon vinaigrette in a large bowl with the minced dill until combined.
Add crumbled feta cheese, and more dressing if desired. Season with salt and pepper, toss lightly and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Store and serve the orzo pasta salad chilled.
Use a light olive oil or other neutral-flavored oil of choice.
You can use agave or honey interchangeably.
Add salt and pepper to taste, in addition to the salt and pepper in the lemon vinaigrette.
Serving: 1g | Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 608mg | Potassium: 288mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 661IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 2mg