Zucchini and Orzo Salad with Chimichurri

Name: Zucchini and Orzo Salad with Chimichurri
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 serving
Ingredients: 1/2 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup red wine vinegar; 1 cup Italian parsley, packed; 1/2 cup cilantro*, packed; 3 cloves garlic; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp cumin; 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 cup uncooked orzo; 1 medium zucchini (0.75 to 1 lb.); 1 pinch salt and pepper; 1 pint Grape or Cherry Tomatoes

User Reviews

4.8

63 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings
4
Calories
422 kcal
Course
Side Dish, Salad, Lunch
Cuisine
International

Zucchini and Orzo Salad with Chimichurri

Nancy Wheeler

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Zucchini and Orzo Salad with Chimichurri is a fresh summer salad that makes the perfect fresh and zesty side dish for summer grilling.

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Ingredients

Servings

CHIMICHURRI

1/2 cup olive oil $0.83
1/4 cup red wine vinegar $0.40
1 cup Italian parsley, packed $0.35
1/2 cup cilantro*, packed $0.19
3 cloves garlic $0.24
1 tsp dried oregano $0.10
1/2 tsp cumin $0.05
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes $0.02
1/2 tsp salt $0.02

SALAD

1 cup uncooked orzo $1.07
1 medium zucchini (0.75 to 1 lb.) $1.29
1 pinch salt and pepper $0.05
1 pint Grape or Cherry Tomatoes $2.79

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Instructions

Prepare the chimichurri by washing the parsley and cilantro leaves well, then shaking off as much water as possible. Pull the leaves from the stems and add them to a food processor, along with the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, cumin, red pepper, and salt. Pulse the mixture until smooth. (Or finely mince the parsley, cilantro, and garlic with a knife and stir together with the remaining ingredients.)
Cook the orzo according to the package directions, drain in a colander, and then let cool.
Slice the zucchini into 1/4 inch thick rounds. The zucchini can be added to the salad raw, grilled, or roasted in the oven first. I used a countertop grill to grill the slices, then cut them into quarter rounds after grilling. If roasting in the oven, toss with a little oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, then roast at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Let the zucchini cool slightly.
While the zucchini and pasta are cooling, slice the grape tomatoes in half. Once the zucchini and orzo are no longer steaming hot, combine them in a bowl with the tomatoes. Pour about half of the chimichurri over top, and then toss until everything is coated. Add more chimichurri to your liking (I used about 3/4 of the batch). Taste and add salt or pepper to the salad if needed.