Description
Grilled summer vegetables tossed in a simple vinaigrette and served over creamy orzo.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Vinaigrette
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing veggies
- 1 Tbsp. lemon zest
- 1 small clove of garlic, pressed or grated with microplane
- 1 Tbsp. fresh minced herbs (I used combo of dill, cilantro, basil)
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
Vegetables
- 1 lb. eggplant, sliced lengthwise into 1-inch thick planks
- 1 lb. zucchini, halved lengthwise
- 1 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed
Orzo
- 2 cups dry orzo
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/2 – 2/3 cup half and half
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat an outdoor gas grill over medium-high heat.
- Vinaigrette: Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, herbs, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
- Vegetables: Brush both sides of eggplant, zucchini and asparagus with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Grill eggplant and zucchini, covered, for 4 minutes, then flip to the other side. Add asparagus and continue to grill all veggies, covered, for additional 4 minutes.
- Remove from the grill and cool enough to handle. Chop the vegetables and toss with vinaigrette while warm. Taste for salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
- Cook orzo in salted water according to package directions; drain. Return to pot and stir in butter, half and half, and Parmesan. It should have a creamy consistency. Feel free to add more cream as needed. Taste for salt and pepper before serving. Serve grilled vegetables over orzo.
Notes
- Lemon: When zesting a lemon make sure to only get the yellow part of the skin and not the white or the vinaigrette will be bitter.
- Orzo: Orzo is a form of short-cut pasta, shaped like large rice, and can be found in the pasta aisle.
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It’s best to store orzo and vegetables separately as it will make reheating easier. If orzo is too dry, add a splash of cream or milk when reheating.
- Recipe originally published June 2017
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup orzo, plus vegetables
- Calories: 232
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 70.8 mg
- Fat: 9.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.4 g
- Protein: 7.8 g
- Cholesterol: 15.3 mg
