Teeming with fresh herbs, bright lemon, tangy feta, crunchy salted pistachios, artichoke hearts, and tender asparagus, this orzo salad is the perfect spring side dish.
Advertisement
Salads of all kinds are my jam. From grain salads like my healthy quinoa salad and potato salads like my Greek potato salad to pasta varieties like this Nicoise pasta salad, I love them all. This orzo salad is a prime example of my favorite kind of salad because it has everything—fresh veggies with bright herby zings alongside the salty crunch of roasted pistachios, and tangy feta cheese. And it couldn’t be simpler to make.
The orzo is cooked al dente with a quick blanch of the asparagus so it’s tender but still has a firm bite and keeps its pretty bright green color. Lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and olive oil make up the salad’s bright and zingy vinaigrette that doubles as a marinade for the canned artichoke hearts. Plenty of fresh dill and mint brings an herbaceous punch, feta cheese adds a creamy tang, and roasted, salted pistachios knock it out of the park with an addictive crunch. I love how quickly and easily this vegetarian salad comes together, and how you can eat it at room temp, or chill it for a while and let those flavors meld. It’s super delicious either way and makes for an awesome picnic or potluck side or a lovely lunch.
Advertisement
What’s in This Orzo Salad
This orzo salad is teeming with fresh, vibrant flavor thanks to lemon zest and juice, herbaceous dill and mint, tangy feta, and salty, crunchy pistachios. It’s the perfect way to put fresh spring asparagus to great use. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
Orzo
Kosher salt
Asparagus
Lemon (both zest and juice)
Olive oil
Garlic
Canned artichoke hearts (I choose quartered artichoke hearts then cut then in half again)
Fresh dill
Fresh mint
Roasted, salted pistachios
Feta cheese—choose the kind sold as a block kept fresh in water
Advertisement
How to Make Orzo Salad
This orzo salad can be whipped up quickly and easily and enjoyed at room temperature or chilled. If making it ahead of time, that’s great! The flavors get even better after they’ve had time to mingle for an hour or up to two days ahead of serving.
Here’s how to make it:
Chop the asparagus and slice the artichoke hearts. In this salad, I like to use thin asparagus cut into ½ to 1-inch pieces. If using thick asparagus, make the pieces a little smaller so they’re bite-sized. For the most flavor, keep the bulb part of the artichoke heart intact so the leaves don’t separate and disappear into the salad.
Cook the orzo and blanche the asparagus. This step is a two-fer. Fill a medium-sized pot with water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, generously salt the water. Add the orzo and cook for about 8 minutes or until tender and al dente. Add the chopped asparagus to the orzo and cook for 1-2 minutes then drain. This keeps the asparagus bright and green while eliminating that raw taste.
Make the zesty vinaigrette. While the orzo cooks, add the lemon zest, juice, olive oil, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt to a large serving bowl and whisk to emulsify. Add the artichoke hearts to the dressing and stir to coat so they absorb the flavor.
Assemble the salad. Once the orzo and asparagus are ready, drain them then add them to a serving bowl. Add the artichoke hearts and toss to combine. Wait a few minutes to let everything cool down, then stir in the dill, mint, and feta. Top with chopped pistachios just before serving.
Advertisement
Is Orzo a Pasta or Rice?
Orzo is a pasta and its petite size lends itself well to salads like this one. It’s one of my favorites to use in recipes like my Mediterranean Orzo Salad and even as a substitute for rice in this Lemony Orzo Faux Risotto.
Orzo Salad with Asparagus, Artichoke Hearts and Feta
Teeming with fresh herbs, bright lemon, tangy feta, crunchy pistachios, artichoke hearts, and tender asparagus, this orzo salad is the perfect spring side dish.
CourseSalad, Side Dish
CuisineMediterranean
Keywordorzo salad
Prep Time10minutesminutes
Cook Time10minutesminutes
Total Time20minutesminutes
Servings61-cup servings
Calories202kcal
Ingredients
1cupdry orzo
½poundasparagus, about ½ a bunch
3tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil
3tablespoonslemon juice
1teaspoonlemon zest
1garlic clove, minced or pressed
115-ounce canquartered artichoke hearts in water, drained then sliced in half again
½teaspoonkosher salt
½ teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
2tablespoonsfresh dill, chopped
2tablespoonsfresh mint, chopped
¼cuproasted, salted pistachios, chopped
⅓cupcrumbled feta
Instructions
Fill a medium-sized pot with water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, generously salt the water. Add the orzo and cook for about 8 minutes or until al dente. Add the asparagus and cook for 1 minute more then drain.
While the orzo is cooking, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper to a bowl and whisk to emulsify. Add the chopped artichokes and stir to coat. Once the orzo and asparagus are ready, drain them then add them to the serving bowl. Toss to combine. Wait a few minutes to let everything cool down, then stir in the dill, mint, and feta. Top with chopped pistachios and more feta if you'd like just before serving.
This strawberry shortcake starts with a super easy, moist vanilla cake you can mix with a spoon. It’s layered with sweetened strawberries and clouds of homemade whipped cream for the perfect spring or summer dessert.
I milk strawberry season for as long as I can, adding those juicy red gems to chicken salads, salsas, milkshakes, and more. And when it comes to dessert, I’m convinced nothing beats old-fashioned strawberry shortcake. It’s my favorite quick and easy-to-make dessert for dinner parties where I can prep everything ahead, then stack and serve.
Some strawberry shortcake recipes use biscuits—a style attributed to the Northern U.S. My strawberry shortcake recipe is Southern-style, starting with the simplest vanilla cake. It comes together quickly with merely a spoon and is super moist with the addition of sour cream and oil. Along with vanilla, I add a little almond extract for a gentle flavoring. The whipped cream is perfectly sweetened with powdered sugar that melts in easily to make cloudy pillows for the sweetened juicy-ripe strawberries.
What’s in Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry shortcake requires just a few basic ingredients. The most important thing about this recipe is to use the best in-season strawberries you can find.
Flour
Baking powder
Kosher salt
Sugar
Sour cream (use full-fat sour cream or yogurt because fat = flavor and also helps create a more tender and rich cake).
Eggs
Vegetable or canola oil
Vanilla
Almond extract (optional but I always add it)
Fresh strawberries (the sweetest and best-looking you can find)
Heavy whipping cream
Powdered sugar
Pro Tip : Add ½ tablespoon of lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon juice for a more zingy strawberry shortcake.
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake
What I like most about this recipe is how quickly and easily it comes together. The cake can be made without a mixer so it’s extra simple. Bake, then cool, whip that cream, and macerate your strawberries.
Bake That Cake
Prep your pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or spray an 8 or 9-inch square pan and then line it with a parchment sling, and butter or spray once more. A smaller pan gives the cake more height for taller slices of cake.
Mix your dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium-sized bowl, and whisk to combine.
Mix your wet ingredients. Add the sugar, sour cream, eggs, oil, vanilla, and almond extracts in a separate, large bowl and whisk well to combine.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet. The batter will be lumpy and that’s okay. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
Bake and cool. Bake the cake for about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then pick up the sling and carefully transfer it to a cooling rack.
Prepare the Strawberries
Macerate your berries. Wash, hull, and slice your berries. Always taste them first—if they’re very sweet, you won’t need to toss them in as much sugar. The longer they sit, the more juices they’ll purge. Macerate for at least 15 minutes, but 30 minutes is ideal.
Make the whipped cream. Using powdered sugar instead of granulated helps the sugar dissolve easier into the cream. While I don’t use a mixer for the cake, I do use this hand mixer (I love that it’s cordless) to whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. If you’re feeling like a forearm workout, whisk until you get soft peaks.
Pro Tip : I whip the cream in a bowl placed in the sink so the cream doesn’t splatter all over the kitchen.
Assemble the strawberry shortcake. Allow the cake to cool a bit then cut it into 9 equal squares. Slice each square in half, horizontally. Layer the bottom half with a few dollops of whip cream to make a dreamy bed for a few scoops of strawberries and their juices. Top with the other half of the cake and top with more whipped cream and strawberries. I like to finish it off with some powdered sugar to make it extra pretty.
What is the Difference Between a Cake and a Shortcake?
Back in the day, a “shortcake” would have resembled something crisp and crumbly, akin to a biscuit. Everyone has their own idea of what strawberry shortcake should be. For some, it’s a biscuit and for others (like me), it’s a cake.
Why do They Call it Strawberry Shortcake?
Historically, strawberry shortcakes were not originally made of cake, like my version here (and so many others you’ve seen), but rather a biscuit type of concoction. “Short” dates back to the 16th century and the English used it to refer to something crisp and crumbly, made with shortening or lard. Similar to the regional discrepancy between stuffing and dressing, some researchers say Southerners tend to make a cake for their strawberry shortcake, while Northerners tend to go the biscuit route. I say, do whatever makes you happy, but I like the cake version, so that’s what I always make.
This strawberry shortcake starts with a super easy, moist vanilla cake you can mix with a spoon. It's layered with sweetened strawberries and clouds of homemade whipped cream for the perfect spring or summer dessert.
¾cupsour cream, at room temperature (you could also use yogurt, full-fat works best here)
2large eggs, at room temperature
½cupvegetable or canola oil
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
¼teaspoonalmond extract, optional but so good
For the strawberries and whipped cream:
2poundsfresh strawberries
¼cupsugar
2cupsheavy whipping cream
¼cup+ 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, divided
1teaspoonvanilla
¼teaspoonkosher salt , (use ⅛ teaspoon if using Morton's brand, as it is much saltier)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or spray an 8 or 9-inch square pan and line it with a parchment sling (so the parchment hangs over at least two sides like a sling), then butter or spray once more.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium-sized bowl, and whisk to combine. In a separate large bowl, add the sugar, sour cream, eggs, oil, vanilla, and almond extracts and whisk well to combine. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet. It will be lumpy and that’s fine, just make sure there are no dry pockets of flour that haven’t been incorporated. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Place in the oven to bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the sides begin to pull away from the pan. Note that it may take a bit longer if you use an 8-inch pan. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then pick up the sling and carefully transfer to a cooling rack. The cake can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.
When ready to serve, wash, hull, and slice the strawberries—you should get about 4 heaping cups. Add them to a large bowl, along with the sugar. With a large spoon or spatula, toss and let macerate for at least 15 minutes (ideally 30) tossing the strawberries often to help them release their juices.
While the strawberries macerate, make the whipped cream. Add the heavy cream, ¼ cup of powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt to a large bowl. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip everything on low speed. I whip my bowl of cream in the sink so it doesn't splatter everywhere. Gradually increase the speed to medium and then medium-high once the mixture thickens. Whip to soft peaks.
To serve, cut the cake into 9 equal squares. Slice each square in half, horizontally. Spoon a few dollops of whip cream onto the bottom cake half then top with a few spoonfuls of strawberries in their juices. Top with the other half of the cake, and then top with more whipped cream and strawberries. Repeat with all of the other cakes. Dust the tops with sifts of powdered sugar and serve.
Notes
• The cake can be baked 2-3 days ahead of serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or, freeze the cake for up to 2 months.
