WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Cucumber really shines when paired with rice shaped orzo in this pasta salad. An assertive lemony dressing and a few supporting players that always pair nicely with cucumber namely red onion, feta, and mint ensured an appealingly bright and flavorful side dish or light lunch. To start, we cooked the orzo in salted water, stirring frequently to keep all the pieces separate; when it was al dente, we drained it and tossed it with a tablespoon of oil to further ensure that it wouldn’t clump. For our dressing, a combo of 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and a full ¼ cup of lemon juice plus minced garlic ensured there would be enough dressing to coat the orzo and all the mix-ins and also deliver the requisite punch of lively flavor.
SERVES: 4 to 6
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1¼ cups orzo
- Salt and pepper
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- ¼ cup lemon juice (2 lemons)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
- 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh mint
- ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Add orzo and 1½ teaspoons salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Drain orzo and transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil and let cool completely, about 15 minutes.
- Whisk remaining 5 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in large bowl until combined. Add cucumber, feta, onion, mint, scallions, and cooled orzo and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Let salad sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Serve, drizzling with extra oil.
