Refreshing, simple, and healthy. This shrimp and orzo pasta salad is so easy to put together you can barely call it cooking.
Make a big batch to bring to a pot luck or pack some up for picnic at the park. It’s a meal on its own or the perfect side dish.
Shrimp and Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe!
Now that the weather is getting warm, this Shrimp and Orzo Salad is the perfect dish to make on those nights you don’t want to slave over a hot stove. First I chopped all the vegetables then I cooked the shrimp in a little olive oil while the orzo pasta was cooking. After that it’s just mixing all the ingredients together in a large clear bowl. So simple and easy! I wish there was a pot luck to go to right now because this shrimp and orzo pasta salad would be perfect and sure to be a hit.
This recipe is also great for meal prep for the week. Just divide your portions into containers and you’ve got lunch all set for the next 5 days!
How to Make Shrimp & Orzo Pasta Salad
- Boil the orzo pasta as per the package directions. Cook until al dente. Drain and let it cool.
- Prep all the vegetables by dicing the tomatoes and cucumbers and chopping the dill and parsley.
- In a sauté pan set to low to medium heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and cook the shrimp until it turns pink and opaque. Set it aside.
- Get a large clear bowl (clear because you want everyone to see all the wonderful colors) and pour the orzo that has been cooling.
- Add the shrimp, tomatoes, cucumbers, dill and parsley. Top with crumbled gorgonzola cheese, lemon juice and olive oil.
- Stir everything together gently and then cover it with plastic wrap.
- You can eat this right away but I suggest letting it sit for at least an hour in the fridge to let it cool and for all the flavors to come together.
- Before serving, taste it again and make adjustments. Add more gorgonzola cheese, salt and pepper to your liking.
Other Pasta Recipes You’ll Love
Shrimp and Orzo Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Sauté Pan
- Tongs
- Large Cutting Board
- Knife
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
- 3 tbsp Really good olive oil
- 1 lb Orzo pasta
- Juice of one lemon
- 2 lbs Fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, cut in quarters
- 1 Cucumber, peeled and diced medium sized pieces
- 1/2 cup Crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
- 1 cup Fresh Dill, chopped
- 1 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and add some oil and bring it to a boil. Add the orzo pasta and cook until al dente, around 9-11 minutes. Drain and let it cool.
- While the pasta is cooking, prep and chop all the vegetables.
- Season the shrimp with salt and pepper.
- In a large sauté pan, add the olive oil and cook the shrimp until its pink and opaque. Set it aside.
- In a large clear bowl, add the orzo pasta, shrimp, tomatoes, cucumbers, dill, parsley, and gorgonzola cheese. Drizzle with good olive oil and lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Gently mix all the ingredients together, cover with plastic wrap and set it in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- When you're ready to serve, taste it again for seasoning and add more gorgonzola cheese, salt and pepper if necessary.
- Best served at room temperature so remove it from the fridge ahead of time, before serving.