With the summer heat just looming over us these days, I don’t know about you, but I’m not really into cooking elaborate meals that keep me in a hot kitchen for hours on end. This Greek Orzo Shrimp Salad is the way to go when you want a quick, easy and healthy meal for dinner (or lunch) during these middle-of-the-week busy hot days. It’s refreshing and doesn’t make you feel heavy or overly full. It’s the kind of dish you make at the start of the week and then enjoy for a few days without having to worry about cooking every night. Enjoy it on it’s own or omit the shrimp and serve it as a side dish.
Preheat grill pan or skillet over high heat. Toss shrimp in a large bowl with olive oil, garlic, Aleppo, Za’atar and a large pinch of salt and pepper until evenly combined.
Once the pan is smoking, drizzle in a bit of olive oil and add the shrimp. Cook until pink and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes (depending on the size of the shrimp). Transfer to a plate and set aside.
**Tip: If you want even more flavor, you can grill the shrimp on a stovetop grill pan or an outdoor grill. To make it easier on an outdoor grill, skewer the shrimp with soaked wooden skewers first!**
To make the dressing, in a mason jar (or bowl) combine olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning (if using) and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Cover and shake vigorously (or whisk) until very well combined.
**Tip: The dressing can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for up to a week. Just allow to come to room temperature and shake vigorously before serving.**
Cook orzo according to package directions and then drain. Transfer to a large bowl and allow cool slightly. Add the chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, feta, parsley, mint, basil, oregano and a large pinch of salt and pepper.
Add the dressing to the bowl along with the veggies an orzo and toss until evenly combined. Give it a taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Serve immediately or chill for several hours or up to 3 days. Serve with pita chips or warm flatbread on the side.
This would also be just as great with grilled chicken as well. Just season the chicken as you would the shrimp and grill until cooked through. Allow to rest and then slice and ross into the orzo. It would be delicious without any protein as well, and could be a great side dish that way too.
I love this salad so much because it just gets better the day after. The longer it sits in the fridge the more flavorful it becomes. So it’s a great recipe to make at the beginning of the week and then you just keep it on hand for easy lunches or dinners!
The shrimp cooks in no time at all, so if you really think about it, this meal can come together in half an hour or so. The shrimp and the pasta cook around the same time and so there isn’t much cooking involved if you think about it. Be sure to let me know what you think if you give it a go. Thank you for reading!
Greek Orzo Shrimp Salad
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Pot
- Grill Pan
- Mason jar or measuring cup
Ingredients
- 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Za'atar
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
- 1/2 pound orzo cooked according to package directions
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 Persian cucumber diced
- 1/2 small red onion minced
- 4 ounces Kalamata olives chopped
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano chopped
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup really good olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning optional
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat grill pan or skillet over high heat. Toss shrimp in a large bowl with olive oil, garlic, Aleppo, Za'atar and a large pinch of salt and pepper until evenly combined. Once the pan is smoking, drizzle in a bit of olive oil and add the shrimp. Cook until pink and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes (depending on the size of the shrimp). Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Cook orzo according to package directions and then drain. Transfer to a large bowl and allow cool slightly. Add the chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, feta, parsley, mint, basil, oregano and a large pinch of salt and pepper.
- To make the dressing, in a mason jar (or bowl) combine olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning (if using) and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Cover and shake vigorously (or whisk) until very well combined.
- Add the dressing to the bowl along with the veggies an orzo and toss until evenly combined. Give it a taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately or chill for several hours or up to 3 days. Serve with pita chips or warm flatbread. Enjoy!
