The thing that makes this recipe extra delicious and special: the dressing/sauce is added AFTER cooking everything. It’s made from a simple blend of extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and fresh minced garlic. All three of these ingredients change in taste when they are cooked. Adding these ingredients to the orzo off-heat ensures that their taste stays pure – the olive oil stays fruity and peppery, the lemon nice and bright, and the garlic, warmed just slightly from the warmth of the pasta, infuses into every bite. To serve, I like to drizzle with even more olive oil (I’ve been loving Brightland olive oil lately – it’s not cheap, but great for a little drizzle of something special!), and top with some crumbled feta and extra herbs. And if you like, you can serve this orzo cold as more of a pasta salad (I’ll get to that later in the post!). Let’s get going with this lovely and healthy lemony, spring vegetable orzo!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Orzo – another small pasta such as Israeli couscous or acini de pepe may be used. If you like, you can use rice as a gluten-free option. Just keep in mind, rice may have different liquid and cooking time requirements, so be sure to cross-reference with the cooking instructions on the package! Leeks – quartered and sliced onion, or green onions, may be used as an alternative. Asparagus Peas – frozen or fresh are both fine. Baby spinach – or another delicate, fast cooking green like baby arugula or baby kale. If using mature spinach, be sure it’s cleaned well and chopped up first. It may take a bit more time to wilt down. Fresh dill and chives – or one or the other, and/or other delicate herbs like parsley, cilantro, mint, and/or basil. Lemon juice and zest Garlic Extra-virgin olive oil Salt Feta cheese – this is optional, feel free to omit for a vegan version or if feta isn’t your thing. You can also do shaved or grated parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese, or crumbled queso fresco or cotija or chevre goat cheese, or any other similar cheese to feta.
How to make Lemony Orzo with Spring Vegetables
First, sauté the leeks in olive oil until they are softened but not browned (see more on how to wash leeks below). Then, add the dry orzo to the pot and toss to coat in the olive oil. If you like, you can keep cooking for a little while to toast the orzo, which will give it a bit of a nutty flavor. Then, add water and cook orzo, covered, until it’s ALMOST done. At this point, add the asparagus and peas. Cover again, and continue cooking until veggies are warmed, slightly softened, and bright green. Then, turn off the heat and stir in the baby spinach, cover, and allow the spinach to wilt from the residual heat. Now, add the dressing (a mix of olive oil, lemon juice and zest, fresh grated garlic, and salt) and fresh herbs. Finally, you’ll add the feta cheese if you’re using it. You can do this right in the pot, or you can transfer it to a serving bowl to do this part, as I did in the photos (this can make stirring it around a bit easier). Now, your lemony orzo with spring veggies is all ready to serve! I love topping it with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and some extra crumbled feta cheese and herbs on each serving plate.
How to clean and prep leeks
Leeks are absolutely delicious, with a subtle onion flavor, but are notoriously dirty/gritty between layers. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to clean them! To clean leeks well, halve and slice them first. Place the cut pieces you’re going to cook with in a large bowl or container and cover with water. Stir them around a bit with your hands, vigorously, to dislodge any dirt or sand on them. The dirt and grit will sink to the bottom of the bowl. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the leeks into a colander, then rinse under cold water. All the dirt stays in the bottom of the bowl, leaving you with perfectly clean leeks!
How to make a cold version of orzo with spring veggies
If you want to make a cold version of this orzo, as a cold pasta orzo salad, I recommend cooking the orzo separately in boiling water, draining, and running cold water over it to cool it off. Otherwise, the heat from the orzo will cause it to keep cooking a bit and the texture will turn more mushy – fine for reheating, but less ideal for a cold orzo salad. For the veggies, I recommend adding the asparagus and peas directly to the leeks in the skillet. Then, you can wilt the spinach in after the asparagus has turned a nice bright green and softened a bit. Try to let the veggies cool off as much as possible before adding them to the orzo with the herbs and dressing. Alternatively, you can add just the spinach to the leeks, and add the cut asparagus and peas directly to the orzo in the last couple minutes of cooking, then rinse all of those under cold water with the orzo. If making ahead of time, you may also want to reserve half the dressing (or make a little extra) for stirring into the orzo pasta salad just before serving, as the orzo will absorb the dressing and end up drying out a bit over time.
Other spring vegetable recipes
Irish Potato Leek Soup Crispy Roasted Asparagus Fresh Pea Risotto with Asparagus and Mint Leek and Gruyere Grilled Cheese Five-Minute Frozen Pea Hummus
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