Orzo, Tomato and Corn Summer Salad
When it’s summertime you have to eat like summertime! I’m hanging on to every last sweaty, humid day before I have to pull out my sweatshirts. I make weekly trips to the farmer’s market and the revolving door of in-season produce is telling me that the fall is coming. Berry season has passed and the apples are starting to take over. The fall comes with such mixed emotions for me because I love the heat and long days of summer.
Here is one last summer salad hoo-rah before I get out my soup cauldron. Summer produce requires little work when its fresh and in-season. This salad uses orzo as the base for roasted tomatoes, grilled corn and sauteed spinach, garlic, and zucchini. I added fresh basil, lemon juice and cheese for added depth. I found this to be a satisfying main course, but it would be great as a side dish too. Add protein such as chicken, shrimp or white beans.
Orzo, Tomato and Corn Summer Salad Recipe
Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 small ear(s) of corn, shucked and grilled
- 7 Roma tomatoes, quartered
- 1 zucchini, quartered
- 1 cup fresh spinach or 1/2 cup frozen
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Olive oil
- 1 cup orzo (uncooked)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Directions
Prepare the Ingredients
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Remove the shuck and silk from the ears of corn.
- Slice the tomatoes in half and into quarters.
- Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise and then into 1/2-inch quarters.
- If using frozen spinach, defrost a 1/2 cup in the microwave until warm or room temperature.
- Mince 3 cloves of garlic.
- Chop fresh basil into 1/4 cup.
Start Cooking
- Place the tomatoes on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil and a sprinkle of kosher salt and black pepper. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Place the corn on a hot grill or directly over the flame of a gas stove. Turn the corn until all of the kernels are blackened. Wrap the cooked corn in foil for 5 minutes (use tongs to not burn yourself).
- Boil water in a medium sauce pan, and cook 1 cup of orzo according to the package.
- In a large skillet, heat 1/2 Tbsp olive oil. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the zucchini (in a single layer as much as possible). Let the zucchini cook for 4-5 minutes on one side until it starts to brown. Stir to cook the second side.
- While the zucchini cooks, remove the corn from the foil and cut the kernels from the cob.
- Add the spinach, corn kernels, and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes to the skillet. If the veggies start to stick to the pan, add an additional drizzle of oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the cooked orzo, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, the chopped basil and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Stir to combine all the ingredients and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the cheese has melted.
- Serve the orzo with the roasted tomatoes on top.
Roasting tomatoes makes them deliciously sweet yet still juicy. I could eat them by the bowl full. I wait to add the tomatoes until the end so they keep their shape. If you stir them into the orzo in the skillet they will fall apart and the flavors merge with the rest of the dish.
You may consider adding Havarti or goat cheese for more cheesy deliciousness. Add chicken or shrimp for protein and serve as a main dish.
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