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Summer Roasted Vegetable Orzo

Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Why we love it:

Bookmark this for summer book club menus, Labor Day picnicking or an easy Sunday potluck dinner with friends. This pasta is a rainbow in a bowl. It can be served warm or cold, holds well in the fridge for days and makes sense to eat anytime of day. Think: teenager’s first family dinner level of difficulty.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt (divided)
  • 1 package Orzo Pasta (usually comes in a 16 ounce box or bag)
  • 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes
  • 1 pound Zucchini
  • 1 Red Onion (large dice)
  • 1 15-ounce can Garbanzo Beans (drained)
  • 14 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 12 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 2 teaspoons Dried Oregano
  • 1 Lemon (zest and juice, divided)
  • 12 teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 8 ounces Fresh Mozzarella
  • 13 bunch Fresh Parsley (leaves and stems chopped)

Cooking Instructions

  • 1. PASTA

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add about 1¼ Tablespoons of salt. When the water is boiling, cook the orzo according to package directions - typically about 8 - 10 minutes. Drain and run under cold water while stirring in the colander until mostly cool. Then, transfer to a large bowl.

  • 2. VEGGIES

    Line a baking sheet with parchment. Place the cherry tomatoes on it. Dice the zucchini into 1” half moons or squares. Peel the red onion and dice it into large squares. Add the drained garbanzo beans. Toss the veggies with ¼ cup of olive oil - yes, it’s a lot, but it becomes flavored in the oven and will be the dressing for all of that pasta. Add ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoon oregano, and all of the lemon zest and ½ of the lemon juice. Toss again to coat and place in the oven.

    Roast for about 12 - 15 minutes, stirring once.

  • 3. PASTA SALAD

    When the veggies are done, remove from the oven and scrape the whole pan, including all of that delicious olive oil too, into the cooled pasta. Add about ½ teaspoon of salt and black pepper to taste. Squeeze the other ½ of the lemon into the pasta too.

  • 4. MOZZARELLA

    Dice the mozzarella. If you have the smaller mozzarella balls you can just slice them in ½ or decide to leave them whole. Add it.

  • 5. PARSLEY

    Chop about ⅓ of the bunch of parsley, all the way down the every end of the stems. Add to the pasta. Toss once more and taste, altering the salt or more olive oil if needed.

  • 6. SERVING

    Plate big scoops of pasta. Serve warm, cold or anywhere in between.

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Substitutions

  • PESCATARIAN:
    seared, grill, or roast seafood on the side - salmon, halibut, catfish, sole, shrimp scallops
  • GLUTEN FREE:
    substitute for lentils, quinoa, or GF pasta like Banza brand
  • DAIRY FREE:
    use coconut oil instead of butter, omit mozzarella
  • COW DAIRY FREE:
    use a sheep or goat milk cheese, or simply omit the cheese
  • GARBANZO BEANS:
    white beans, black beans, or omit beans and double the cherry tomatoes, cheese, and consider adding roasted eggplant, cauliflower, or green bean slices
Rate this recipe:
4 votes, average: 4.75 out of 54 votes, average: 4.75 out of 54 votes, average: 4.75 out of 54 votes, average: 4.75 out of 54 votes, average: 4.75 out of 5 (4 votes, average: 4.75 out of 5)
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