Best Orzo With Summer Squash And Pesto Recipes

ORZO WITH PEAS AND PARSLEY PESTO

Steps:

• Make the pesto. Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic. When it is chopped and adhering to the sides of the bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the bowl. Alternatively, mash with a generous pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. Add the parsley to the food processor (or to the mortar and pestle) and process until finely chopped (or grind to a paste in the mortar and pestle). With the machine running, add the olive oil in a slow stream and process until the mixture is smooth (or slowly work into the mixture using the mortar and pestle). Stop the machine, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the cheese. Pulse to combine. Measure out 1/3 cup and refrigerate the rest in a covered container.
• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and add the orzo. Cook 5 minutes. Add the peas and continue to cook for another 4 minutes, until the orzo is cooked through but al dente. Add a ladleful of the cooking water to the pesto, then drain the orzo and peas and toss with the pesto. Serve, passing more Parmesan or Pecorino in a bowl.

SQUASH AND ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Saute zucchini, yellow squash and scallions in olive oil until tender. Toss with cooked orzo, parsley, dill, goat cheese, salt and pepper.
• See all 50 Simple Salads

ORZO WITH SUMMER SQUASH AND PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the orzo and salt generously. Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add olive oil and garlic. Cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds, and add summer squash. Turn heat up to medium high and cook, stirring often, until squash is tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in marjoram or mint and season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn off heat.
• When water in pot comes to a boil, salt generously and add orzo. Cook 9 minutes, until al dente. Stir 3 to 4 tablespoons of the cooking water into the pesto, then drain orzo and toss with squash. Heat through, add pesto, toss again and serve, passing more Parmesan or pecorino in a bowl.

SQUASH WITH ORZO & ROASTED GARLIC & FETA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Remove the outer layers of the garlic bulb and slice off the root end, being careful to not cut too deep into the cloves. Put on a small sheet of foil, drizzle with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and sprinkle over a pinch of salt. Scrunch to enclose the garlic in the foil and bake for 45 mins. Remove from the oven and leave to cool still wrapped in the foil.
• Meanwhile, toss the squash with 2 tbsp of the oil, the paprika and some seasoning. Tip onto a baking sheet and roast for 30-40 mins, turning halfway, until the squash is tender and has some colour.
• For the sauce, combine the feta, yogurt, lemon juice and 4 of the roasted garlic cloves (squeezing the flesh out of the skins) to create a smooth paste. It should be thick but pourable - add up to 2 tbsp water to loosen if needed. Set aside.
• Cook the orzo in a pan of salted water over a medium heat for 4-5 mins until it's cooked but still has bite. Drain, reserving a cupful of the orzo water and cool in a sieve under cold running water.
• Cook the leek with 1 tbsp oil and the butter over a medium heat in a large pan, stirring regularly, for 5 mins. Add the preserved lemon and the flesh of 3 roasted garlic cloves, then mash together well. Once the leeks are translucent, tip in the cooked orzo, stock and a splash of the pasta cooking water. Stir for a minute to warm through the orzo. Mix in half of the parsley.
• Spoon the orzo and leeks onto plates, top with the squash and drizzle over the feta sauce. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve.

PESTO ORZO WITH ROASTED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place zucchini in a bowl and season with 2 tablespoons oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until all slices are moistened. Spread on a large baking sheet.
• Roast zucchini in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Flip the slices and continue roasting until tender and browned, about 10 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add orzo and vegetable bouillon; cook until orzo is tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Heat remaining olive oil in a large frying pan and cook onion until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in pesto sauce. Cut zucchini rounds into 4 pieces and add to the frying pan. Add cooked orzo, stirring until it absorbs the pesto sauce. Add cherry tomatoes last; stir for about 30 seconds. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

SHRIMP ORZO PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl; mix 2 teaspoons pesto and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil into orzo.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet; cook and stir shrimp, red bell pepper, and capers in hot oil until shrimp is heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir remaining 1 teaspoon pesto, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper into shrimp mixture; cook and stir until combined, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Mix orzo into shrimp mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and drizzle with olive oil.

ORZO WITH SUMMER SQUASH AND TOASTED HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Cook orzo in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain orzo in a colander.
• While orzo is cooking, heat butter and oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté shallot, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini, yellow squash, salt, and pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in nuts, parsley, basil, and zest.
• Add cooked orzo to skillet and stir gently. If mixture seems dry, moisten with some reserved pasta water. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.