Grilled Vegetable Orzo Pasta Salad Food

GRILLED VEGETABLE ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Cook orzo according to package directions. Place vegetables in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients. Add to vegetables and toss to coat., Remove vegetables, reserving dressing. Grill mushroom, pepper and onion, covered, over medium heat 5-10 minutes or until tender, turning occasionally. Grill asparagus and zucchini, covered, 3-4 minutes or until desired doneness, turning occasionally., When cool enough to handle, cut vegetables into bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, combine cooked orzo, grilled vegetables, tomatoes, parsley, basil, salt, pepper and reserved dressing; toss to combine. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until cold. Just before serving, stir in cheese.

GRILLED VEGETABLE ORZO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook orzo in salted water according to package directions; drain and rinse under cold water, transfer to a large bowl and combine with tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of the oil and garlic.
• Meanwhile spray the onions, bell peppers and zucchini with olive oil; season with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper, to taste.
• Grill vegetables on a grill basket over oiled grates, covered, (or broil 4 inches from flame) 10-12 minutes or until lightly charred and tender, turning halfway.
• Set aside on a cutting board to cool slightly, then dice into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Toss with the remaining olive oil and vinegar and top with chopped basil.

GRILLED VEGGIE AND ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Add the dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 cup of the olive oil to a large bowl. Whisk to combine, then add all the prepped vegetables. Toss the vegetables to coat them in the marinade.
• Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is heated, add the vegetables in batches, being sure to keep them in a single layer and not to overcrowd the pan. Grill until the vegetables have nice char marks and are beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the vegetables and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a rimmed baking sheet. Keep grilling until all the vegetables are cooked. Cool slightly, then cut the vegetables into small bite size pieces. Save any leftover marinade to build the dressing for the salad.
• To the serving bowl with the leftover marinade from the vegetables, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Whisk to combine. Add the cooked orzo and the chopped grilled vegetables and toss to combine. Add the feta, parsley and dill and toss again. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately or keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

ORZO WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.
• Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.
• For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.

SPRING VEGETABLE ORZO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a medium saucepan full of water to a boil. Turn off the burner, add in asparagus pieces and blanch for 2-3 minutes. While the asparagus is in the water, heat one tablespoon olive oil in a small sauté pan. Add in shallots and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, just until tender. Drain the asparagus and rinse with cool water.
• In a large bowl add cooked orzo pasta, asparagus pieces and sautéed shallots and garlic. Drain artichoke hearts and quarter them, adding them to the bowl. Add in sun-dried tomatoes with oil and lemon zest. Stir to combine.
• In a small bowl or container, whisk together lemon juice, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper. While continuously whisking, slowly pour olive oil into the vinegar. Once emulsified, stir the dressing into the salad. Move to the refrigerator for at least 5 hours for flavors to combine. Serve cold.

MEDITERRANEAN ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 9 minutes. Drain well. Rinse with cold water and drain well again.
• Combine orzo, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, olives, and Asiago cheese in a large bowl.
• Whisk garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl to make the vinaigrette. Drizzle over the orzo mixture and toss lightly to combine. Add basil and parsley and mix well. Let sit for 20 minutes for flavors to blend, stirring occasionally.

ORZO PASTA SALAD WITH GRILLED CONFETTI VEGETABLES AND FETA

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring about 4 cups of salted water to a boil. Add orzo pasta and cook according to package directions, about 6-8 minutes, until al dente (firm to the bite). Drain and rinse under cold water. Let orzo sit in colander to drain well. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with about 2 tsp (5 ml) olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, oregano, lemon juice, lemon peel, salt and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
• Preheat a barbeque or grill to medium-high heat. Brush zucchini strips and yellow pepper with a little olive oil. Place these, along with corn, on barbeque and grill for 4-5 minutes on each side until grill marks appear and vegetables are tender. Remove and set aside on a baking tray to cool. Once cool, cut the kernels off of the corn husks (there should be about 2 cups) and chop the zucchini and yellow peppers into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces.
• To the orzo pasta, add the zucchini, yellow pepper, corn, cherry tomatoes, feta and pine nuts. Drizzle over lemon vinaigrette and toss gently to combine. Garnish with torn basil leaves.
• In a hurry? Chop zucchini and yellow pepper into ½-inch dice. Place in large bowl along with cherry tomatoes and 1 cup corn (canned). Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Spread evenly onto a baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside and let cool to room temperature and then toss with orzo salad as above.