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Say hello to Spring with this refreshing Lemon Orzo Asparagus Salad! With crunchy radishes and pecans, pungent onions, creamy goat cheese, and seasoned orzo and asparagus all brought together with a zesty lemon dressing, you will want this salad on repeat. This salad is such a fun and fresh take on spring salad; perfect for potlucks, side dishes, lunches or picnics.
Why You'll Love This Lemon Orzo Asparagus Salad
- This salad is so refreshing! It won’t even taste like you are eating veggies when you try this salad. The orzo and asparagus is packed with flavour and textural variety.
- An awesome side dish or lunch idea! Make this as a side dish to any grilled meat or proteins, or you can even make this for lunch since it comes together in 30 minutes or less.
- This salad keeps well in the fridge! Without the dressing added on, the salad itself can keep in the fridge up to 4 days. Prep this salad in advance and serve it as a meal, side dish or lunch in the future.
Ingredients Needed
3/4 Cup Orzo
3 Cups Chicken Broth
1 Bunch Asparagus (10-15 Pieces)
1 Teaspoon Butter
1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest
1 Lemon, juiced
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
3 Cups Red Leaf Romaine
2 Cups Arugula
1/2 Cup Parsley, chopped
3-5 Radishes
1/4 Cups Red Onion, sliced
1/4 Cup Goat Cheese, crumbled
1/4 Cup Pecans, chopped
Zesty Lemon Dressing
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
2 Lemons, juiced
1 Lemon, zested
1 Teaspoon Honey
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 Garlic Clove, minced
Salt & Pepper, to taste
How To Make Lemon Orzo Asparagus Salad
Start by cutting off the bottoms of the asparagus and set aside for now. Optionally, you can chop the asparagus into smaller bite sized pieces or leave it whole.
In a medium size pot add the chicken broth and bring that to a light boil over medium heat. Once bubbling, add in the orzo and cook for about 10 minutes, in the last 3 minutes of the orzo cooking, add in the asparagus. Drain the orzo and asparagus once fully cooked.
Add the orzo and asparagus to a mixing bowl and while it is hot add the butter, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix the butter into this mixture and it will melt, set aside for now.
In a small jar or bowl add olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic and salt and pepper. Mix that together thoroughly and a homogenous dressing will appear. Set aside for now.
Roughly chop up the romaine lettuce, parsley and pecans. Slice the radishes and red onion. Add all of these to a large mixing bowl.
To the salad bowl, add the orzo and asparagus mixture on top, then add the crumbled goat cheese. Use tongs to mix this salad thoroughly.
Serve this salad with the dressing right before you are about to eat it, (or else it will get soggy). Enjoy! 🙂
Equipment & Products Needed
Orzo
Chicken Bouilon
Salad Tong Hands
Notes + Tips for Lemon Orzo Asparagus Salad
- Add the Zesty Lemon Dressing right before eating! You only want to add dressing before eating it or else it will get soggy. You can refrigerate this salad up to 4 days and add the dressing right before you serve it.
- Add chicken, beans, or other proteins to bulk up the salad! I think grilled chicken would be such a delicious add-in to this salad. Other protein add-ins like chickpeas, white beans, tofu, salmon, or tilapia would be so delicious in this Lemon Orzo Asparagus Salad too!
- Customize and use whatever greens that are your favourite. I used red leaf romaine, arugula and parsley as the base of the greens for this recipe but feel free to add whatever you like. Some other greens that would be great in this recipe include: kale, iceberg, cilantro, or baby spinach.
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Ingredients:
- 3/4 Cup Orzo
- 3 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 Bunch Asparagus (10-15 Pieces)
- 1 Teaspoon Butter
- 1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 3 Cups Red Leaf Romaine
- 2 Cups Arugula
- 1/2 Cup Parsley, chopped
- 3-5 Radishes
- 1/4 Cups Red Onion, sliced
- 1/4 Cup Goat Cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 Cup Pecans, chopped
Zesty Lemon Dressing
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 2 Lemons, juiced
- 1 Lemon, zested
- 1 Teaspoon Honey
- 1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 Garlic Clove, minced
- Salt u0026 Pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- Start by cutting off the bottoms of the asparagus and set aside for now. Optionally, you can chop the asparagus into smaller bite sized pieces or leave it whole.
- In a medium size pot add the chicken broth and bring that to a light boil over medium heat. Once bubbling, add in the orzo and cook for about 10 minutes, in the last 3 minutes of the orzo cooking, add in the asparagus. Drain the orzo and asparagus once fully cooked.
- Add the orzo and asparagus to a mixing bowl and while it is hot add the butter, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix the butter into this mixture and it will melt, set aside for now.
- In a small jar or bowl add olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic and salt and pepper. Mix that together thoroughly and a homogenous dressing will appear. Set aside for now.
- Roughly chop up the romaine lettuce, parsley and pecans. Slice the radishes and red onion. Add all of these to a large mixing bowl.
- To the salad bowl, add the orzo and asparagus mixture on top, then add the crumbled goat cheese. Use tongs to mix this salad thoroughly.
- Serve this salad with the dressing right before you are about to eat it, (or else it will get soggy). Enjoy! 🙂
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Nutrition
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