Shrimp Orzo Salad

This shrimp orzo salad is light, fresh, and perfect for summer. It’s packed with protein, tossed in a tangy balsamic dressing, and loaded with crisp veggies and juicy grilled shrimp. Ready in under 30 minutes!

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Serving servings

Ingredients

Italian Balsamic Dressing

6 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon water
1 ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, or to taste
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon pepper, or to taste

The Shrimp + Salad

1 pound shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 small garlic clove, grated or minced
1 ¾ cups dry orzo
1 English cucumber, chopped
1 red bell pepper, de-seeded & chopped
1-2 cups fresh arugula
Parsley for serving

Instructions

Cook Orzo: Bring a large pot of salted water (1 teaspoon salt) to a boil. Cook the orzo according to package instructions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Let it cool in the fridge (or rinse with cold water to cool faster, but this can wash out some flavor).
Make Dressing: Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, water, and Italian seasoning until combined. Set aside.
Prep Shrimp: Pat peeled and deveined shrimp dry. Toss shrimp with half the dressing and minced garlic in a bowl or ziplock bag. Marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes, up to 1 hour.
Preheat Cooking: Heat a grill pan,outdoor grill, or regular skillet over medium-high heat. If grilling, soak wooden skewers in water.
Prep Veggies: Chop red bell pepper, cucumber, and parsley.
Make Salad: Once the orzo is cool, mix it with chopped veggies and arugula. If orzo sticks, add a splash of water or reserved dressing. Drizzle with remaining dressing and toss again.
Cook Shrimp: Cook shrimp in the hot pan or grill for 2-3 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. If using skewers, thread 5-6 shrimp each before cooking.
Serve: Add cooked shrimp to the salad, toss gently, and serve immediately. Garnish with parsley and extra dressing if desired.

Notes

Cold Salad, Warm Shrimp: To keep your salad ingredients fresh and crispy, keep them cool until you’re ready to serve. Just add the freshly grilled shrimp right before serving for a tasty mix of temperatures and textures.

Frozen Shrimp: Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight or in a bowl of cold water for quicker thawing, changing the water every 30 minutes until thawed.

Marinating Shrimp: For the tastiest shrimp, marinate them for at least 20 minutes before, but no more than 1 to 2 hours because the shrimp may get chewy.

Shrimp Sub: Instead of shrimp, you can use grilled chicken, tofu, or chickpeas as a vegetarian option.

Orzo Sub: For this recipe, small pasta shapes like ditalini or Israeli couscous make excellent substitutes for orzo. They maintain a similar texture and absorb flavors well. You can also use different pasta shapes like fusilli, penne, or farfalle. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Cooking Shrimp in a Pan: You can cook the shrimp on the stovetop! Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add a little olive oil, then cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side until they are pink and cooked through. Adjust the cooking time depending on the size of the shrimp.

Storing: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating: I recommend eating it cold or chilled. If you want to reheat the shrimp, then I would do so in the oven or air fryer over the microwave.

Nutrition

Course Lunch & Dinner

Cuisine American

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please leave a comment and star rating on this post and tag @HealthfulBlondie on Instagram & hashtag it #healthfulblondie!