Lemon Orzo Salad
A delicious and vibrant pasta salad, the perfect Summer side dish
Servings: 8
Calories: 126kcal
Cost: £5.00
Equipment
- Large pot
- Colander
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Box grater
- Zester
Ingredients
- 8 Garlic cloves, peeled
- Olive oil
- 500 g Orzo
- 2 Chicken stock cubes
- 1 tbsp Dried mixed herbs
- 2 Lemons, juice and zest
- 1 Red onion, large
- 1 large bunch of fresh basil
- 0.5 Bag of rocket leaves
- Parmesan shavings
- 1 Pomegranate
Instructions
- Add your garlic cloves to the centre of some tin foil and cover generously with olive oil. Wrap them up and roast for 1 hour at 150c. Remove from the foil and mash them up in a small bowl with a fork until a paste forms.
- Cook your orzo in a large pot with plenty of boiling water and the stock cubes. Stir well until the stock cubes have dissolved and stir regularly throughout cooking to prevent sticking. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until cooked through. Drain and rinse any additional starch from the orzo.
- Add your orzo to a large mixing bowl and drizzle on some olive oil to prevent sticking. Now add in your roasted garlic paste, dried mixed herbs, zest and juice of the lemons, grated onion, fresh basil and rocket. Give it all a good stir to evenly combine.
- The parmesan and pomegranate can be measured with your heart. Use the slicing side of a box grater to create delicate shavings of parmesan. Mix through the pomegranate jewels leaving some to sprinkle on top for garnish.
- Finish your lemon orzo salad with a garnish of lemon slices and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
This salad has the mellow hum of roasted garlic, rather than the powerful kick of it raw. Add your garlic cloves to the centre of some tin foil and cover generously with olive oil. Wrap them up and roast for 1 hour at 150c. When cooked they will be beautifully soft and aromatic. Remove from the foil and mash them up in a small bowl with a fork until a paste forms.
Cook your orzo in a large pot with plenty of boiling water (don't be shy, orzo is thirsty) and the stock cubes. Stir well until the stock cubes have dissolved and stir regularly throughout cooking to prevent sticking. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until cooked through. Drain and rinse any additional starch from the orzo.
Add your orzo to a large mixing bowl and drizzle on some olive oil to prevent sticking. Here's the fun part! Add in your roasted garlic paste, dried mixed herbs, zest and juice of the lemons, grated onion, fresh basil and rocket. Give it all a good stir to evenly combine.
The parmesan and pomegranate can be measured with your heart. I like to use the slicing side of a box grater to crate delicate shavings of parmesan which add a nice salty hit. The pomegranate jewels add a lovely fruity kick, plus they look really pretty so be sure to sprinkle some on top for garnish.