Orzo and Spinach Salad
with roasted tomatoes and mushrooms / feta
With orzo pasta, roasted vegetables and creamy dressing, this entree salad is super versatile. Serve it warm or at room temperature. It makes great leftovers and can also be served as a side dish for grilled steak or chicken.
Ingredients
- Cilantro - 2 Tbsp , leaves chopped
- Green onions - 1 stalk , green and white parts chopped
- Yogurt, Greek or plain - 1 Tbsp
- Oil, olive - 4 Tbsp
- Water - 1 Tbsp
- Lemon juice - 2 tsp
- Vinegar, red or white wine - 1 tsp
- Honey - 1/2 tsp
- Cauliflower florets - 12 oz , chopped
- Tomatoes, cherry or grape - 1 1/2 cups , halved
- Mushrooms, any button - 8 oz , quartered
- Spinach - 5 oz , chopped
- Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
- Italian seasonings - 1 tsp
- Cheese, feta - 4 oz , crumbled
- Nuts, pine (sub pepitas or chopped pecans) - 1/4 cup
- Pasta, orzo (sub any small pasta shape) - 3/4 cup
- Stock, any variety (sub water) - 2 cups
- Water - 4 cups
- Oil, olive - 1 Tbsp
- Lemons - 1/2 , zest of
Prep
-
Cook pasta - Double if making Thursday's meal. If prepping right before cooking, get vegetables roasting before continuing with prep. Combine stock and water in a large stock pot over high heat. Bring to a boil and add pasta. Cook until al dente, tender but not soggy. Drain. Toss with olive oil and lemon zest. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
-
Cauliflower / Tomatoes / Mushrooms - Prep as directed and combine. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
-
Spinach / Cilantro / Green onions - Prep as directed. Store spinach in a bowl lined with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture and prevent wilting. Combine cilantro and green onions in another bowl. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
Unlock this meal along with hundreds of smart meal plans and never stress about "What's for dinner?" again
Try for freeLearn More
Make
-
Heat oven to 400F / 204C degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil.
-
Toss cauliflower, tomatoes and mushrooms in cooking oil. Add Italian seasonings and a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer vegetables to sheet pan and bake until mushrooms are golden brown, stirring halfway through cooking, 20 to 25 minutes.
-
While vegetables roast, make dressing by combining cilantro, green onions, yogurt, olive oil, water, lemon juice, vinegar and honey. For an extra creamy dressing, use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Taste and season with some salt and pepper or additional lemon juice or honey.
-
If pasta was made ahead and refrigerated, reheat it briefly in the microwave or in a saute pan with some oil over medium heat just to take the chill off. (If you doubled pasta for Thursday night, remember to save half.)
-
Toss orzo with spinach, roasted vegetables and feta. Top with half the dressing and toss to combine, adding the rest of the dressing if you like your salad more heavily dressed. Top salad with nuts and enjoy!
Reviews
Ratings
0 reviews