Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad
This delicious and hearty cold orzo salad is all about the roasted and caramelized vegetables: fennel, carrot, and my personal favorite, broccoli! For added flavor, we're adding sliced or slivered almonds for texture, lemon juice, and aged pecorino cheese.
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables:
- 1 large head of broccoli stalk trimmed and cut into medium florets (roughly 1 lb florets)
- 4 medium cloves of garlic sliced
- 2 small heads of fennel, fronds reserved core removed and chopped
- 3 medium carrots peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
For the Orzo and Assembly:
- 5 ounces whole wheat orzo pasta
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ⅓ cup toasted slivered or sliced almonds
- 2 ounces finely grated aged pecorino cheese
- fennel fronds for garnishing
Instructions
- Roast the Vegetables: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with one rack on the bottom third of the oven and another in the top third of the oven. On a large sheet pan, toss the broccoli florets and sliced garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- On another sheet pan, toss the fennel and carrot chunks with the remaining 2tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast the broccoli on one oven rack, tossing halfway, for 15 to 20 minutes or until caramelized; roast the fennel and carrot on the other oven rack, tossing haflway for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly caramelized and fork tender. Allow the vegetables to cool to room temperature on a cooling rack.
- Prepare the Orzo: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the orzo pasta until al dente, stirring occasionally, and drain. Rinse the pasta immediately with cold water until cool and then transfer to a large bowl.
- Assemble: Add the roasted (and cooled) vegetables, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and slivered almonds, and toss well. Add the cheese and gently toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature or chilled, and garnish with fresh fennel fronds. Pasta can be prepared in advance and leftovers can be stored in a container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Make Ahead Tips:
- Pasta can be prepared in advance and leftovers can be stored in a container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 557kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 35g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 28g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 483mg, Fiber: 12g, Sugar: 5g