Herbed Orzo Salad with Kale & Feta

If you could only eat one salad for the rest of your life, what would it be?



Me: Herbed Orzo Salad with Kale & Feta



This salad is bursting with lemony, garlicky flavour, aromatic spices, hearty orzo, and fresh greens. What more do you need in a meal? This delicious plant based recipe is one of my favourites as we move into spring! It’s ready in less than 30 minutes, it’s full flavour and is a great plant based option. 

If you’re looking to kick the season off on a fresh start, this salad is a great meal that focuses on fresh, colourful, nutrient dense ingredients.

what you’ll need

for the salad

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 cup orzo

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts

• 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped

• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

• 1 cup Castelvetrano olives

• 5 oz. feta cheese, large-diced or crumbled

  what you’ll need

  for the dressing

• cup raw almonds

• 3 scallions

• 4 cloves of garlic

• 1 lemon

• 1/2 cup EVOO

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds

• 1/2 tsp crushed red chili flakes

  The Steps

  for the salad

1. Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.

2. Prepare the dressing. Coarsely chop ½ cup raw almonds; set aside. Trim 3 scallions and separate white and green parts (save the green parts for later in the recipe). Thinly slice white parts and transfer to a small skillet.

3. Smash and peel 4 garlic cloves. Add those to same skillet. Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, remove three 3" strips of lemon peel (avoiding white pith); reserve rest of the lemon for your salad dressing. Add peels to skillet.

4. Pour ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil into skillet and stir so that all of the elements are coated in oil.

5. Heat skillet with scallion mixture over medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic starts to brown and lemon peel starts to curl, about 3 minutes.

6. Add almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until almonds are browned, about 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cumin seeds and crushed red pepper flakes—the residual heat from the oil will bloom those spices and bring out their flavors.

7. Remove the lemon peel and pour the mixture over your orzo. Toss to evenly distribute.

8. Add the scallions, dill, parsley to the salad, toss well.

9. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.

* Dressing adapted from BON APPÉTIT, Just keeps Getting Better Lentil Salad