Orzo, Tomato, Scallion and Feta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Drizzle a bright, lemony vinaigrette over hot orzo pasta then let each tiny piece drink in that vibrant flavor. Toss in red, ripe cherry tomatoes along with savory scallions, tangy feta plus toasted pine nuts and you’ve got a perfect summer salad!
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- Heatproof bowl
Ingredients
- For the lemon vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 2 lemons
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- For the salad:
- 4 cups chicken stock, plus extra if needed
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 pound orzo pasta
- 1 cup sliced scallions, about 4 scallions
- 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes, about 16 to 18 tomatoes
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese, about 6-ounces
- ½ cup toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- To make the vinaigrette:
- Pour the lemon juice along with the olive oil into a large mixing bowl. Add the kosher salt, black pepper and sugar. Whisk until well blended.
- To make the salad:
- Pour the chicken stock into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in the kosher salt and the orzo. Cook the orzo for about 9 minutes or until it’s tender. Stir constantly the last 2 minutes to keep the pasta from sticking to the pan. Add additional stock or water only if needed to finish cooking the pasta.
- The orzo should completely soak up the stock but drain any excess liquid.
- Transfer the pasta to a heatproof bowl. Give the vinaigrette a whisk and pour it over the orzo, tossing to coat the pasta. Let the pasta cool for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the pine nuts, scallions, tomatoes and the feta cheese. Stir to blend together. Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled.
Notes
To toast pine nuts, warm them in a skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes. As they begin to toast, stir the pine nuts constantly to prevent them from scorching.