Shrimp and Orzo Salad

This shrimp and orzo salad is a bright, zesty, and absolutely scrumptious dish to enjoy as a side, or as a light main course. Prepared with tender and delicate orzo pasta combined with plump shrimp, cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, feta cheese, red onion, spinach and a refreshing lemon Dijon dressing, this tasty orzo pasta salad recipe is a quick pick for the sunny months!

Orzo becomes a bright and zippy salad

Zippy and zesty pasta salads dotted with all sorts of colorful and flavorful morsels are among my favorite recipes to prepare and keep on hand during the sunny months.

They're easy to whip up, wonderfully versatile, and very convenient to grab a bowlful of out of the fridge as a light meal when the belly is rumbling, or to enjoy as an accompaniment to a main dish.

And while I love all sorts of twisty and uniquely shaped pastas for a pasta salad recipe, sometimes delicate, quick-cooking orzo is the perfect pick to combine with a few other fresh and flavorful ingredients to easily spoon up and enjoy.

My shrimp and orzo pasta salad has become a new favorite of ours, chock-full of succulent and juicy shrimp, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, spinach, herbs, and a delicious lemony dressing kissed with Dijon to tie all those tasty flavors together.

Fantastic to serve to a crowd at an outdoor gathering, bring to a potluck or picnic, or simply prepare to keep on hand as a quick meal to spoon up, my shrimp and orzo salad recipe is just what the sunny season ordered!

My recipe for shrimp and orzo salad

Part of the appeal of this mouthwatering pasta salad is that the two star ingredients—the orzo and the shrimp—are super easy to prep and have ready to add to the party.

Because orzo is delightfully tiny and delicate, it takes only about 8 to 10 minutes to cook, and can be cooled quickly under cold running water to have ready.

As for the shrimp, I appreciate using my oven to cook my shrimp to plump, succulent perfection, in just 10 minutes, on a sheet pan. Seasoned with a savory combination of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon zest, dried oregano and a dusting of paprika, the shrimp turn out absolutely de-lish and perfectly cooked, no standing at a skillet and flipping required!

Once the shrimp is cooled, it's added to the orzo pasta, and in go the sweet, juicy, halved cherry tomatoes, a flourish of thinly sliced red onion, some crumbles of tangy-savory feta cheese, fresh dill and parsley, and a couple of handfuls of baby spinach.

Because a bright, lemony dressing is terrific in a salad filled with these flavors, I whip up a lemony dressing made with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and a kiss of Dijon mustard. It's simple, and perfectly zesty!

Here's a glance at my shrimp and orzo salad recipe:

(or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I cook my orzo just until tender, then drain and run under cold water, and drain once more to get rid of excess water.
2. While the orzo cooks, I season my shrimp, add them in a single layer onto a sheet pan, and cook in the oven for 10 minutes. I allow the shrimp to cool to room temp, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. To assemble the shrimp and orzo salad, I add the orzo to a large bowl, add in most of the shrimp (reserving a few for the top of the salad), then add in the remainder of the ingredients.
4. I pour in about half of the lemon Dijon dressing to start with (I add more as needed), toss together with the salad ingredients, check to see if additional salt/pepper is needed, then spoon that into a serving dish.
5. Finally, I top with the remaining shrimp, drizzle over a touch more dressing, and either serve immediately with any remaining dressing on the side, or keep chilled until ready to enjoy.

Recipe

Shrimp and Orzo Salad

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This refreshing shrimp and orzo salad is brimming with a lemon Dijon dressing, cherry tomatoes, spinach, creamy feta cheese and red onion!

Category: Salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Yield: Serves 8

Nutrition info: 475 calories (per serving)

Prep time: 20 minutes (does not include cooling time)
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

Salad Ingredients:

• 2 pounds raw, peeled and deveined shrimp (16/20 count)
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Black pepper
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• 12 ounces (uncooked) orzo pasta
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ¼ cup (heaping) thinly sliced red onion
• 2 (packed) cups baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup chopped dill
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Lemon Dijon Dressing Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
• Pinch black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• ⅔ cup olive oil

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your dressing ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. To prepare the dressing, add all ingredients except for the olive oil to a food processor, and process until blended. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing is completely emulsified and well blended. (Alternately, you can add everything to a mason jar with a lid, and shake things well until blended.) Set the dressing aside to have on hand.
3. Next, gather and prep all of your shrimp and orzo salad ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
4. Preheat the oven to 400°, and line a sheet pan with foil.
5. Add the shrimp to a large bowl, along with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, a couple of good pinches of salt and black pepper, the paprika and oregano, plus the pressed garlic and lemon zest, and toss to coat the shrimp well.
6. Place the shrimp onto the prepared sheet pan in a single layer, and roast the shrimp for 10 minutes.
7. Once the shrimp has roasted, allow the shrimp to cool to room temp.
8. While the shrimp roasts, cook the orzo pasta according to package instructions, then drain and rinse under cold water to chill the orzo. Drizzle with a tiny amount of olive oil to help prevent the orzo from sticking.
9. To prepare the shrimp and orzo salad, place the cooled orzo into a large bowl, then add in the halved cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, red onion, spinach, dill, parsley, and about ⅔ of the cooled shrimp.
10. Next, pour in about half of the lemon Dijon dressing (start slow and add more as needed), then using a couple of large spoons, toss all of the ingredients together gently to combine. Check seasoning and add more salt/pepper and dressing, as needed.
11. Spoon the shrimp and orzo salad into a serving bowl, then arrange the remaining shrimp over top. Drizzle with a little extra dressing, if desired (or serve any remaining dressing on the side to add as needed), and serve immediately or keep chilled until ready to serve.

Tips & Tidbits for my shrimp and orzo salad recipe:

• Medium-large shrimp for a succulent bite: For good texture and protein, I like to use 16/20 size shrimp here. They keep their shape once roasted, and look lovely in this salad, while still being easy to eat.
• Sub your favorite add-ins: If you feel like getting creative with the ingredients, you can swap in olives, roasted red peppers from a jar, pearl mozzarella cheese, basil, or artichoke. Feel free to get creative if you'd enjoy a different flavor profile!
• Prepare ahead to have ready: If you'd like to prep things a day ahead, then just cook the orzo and keep that in a separate container in the fridge. Same goes for the shrimp, the dressing, and the rest of the ingredients. Just assemble and dress the salad when you're ready to serve.

Craving more delicious salad recipes like this one? Check out my recipe for Antipasto Salad, Avocado Salad with Zesty Lime Dressing, lemony Macaroni Salad, Panzanella Salad, Italian Chickpea Salad, Cucumber Salad, White Bean Salad, or even my recipe for Pesto Pasta Salad!