Orzo Salad with Lemon, Asparagus and Crunchy Breadcrumbs
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This Orzo Salad with Lemon, Asparagus and Crunchy Breadcrumbs recipe is a modification of Ali Slagle's recipe. Ali specializes in creating fast, delicious recipes that do not require a lot of specialized equipment. The original recipe was recently published in the New York Times.
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The promotion for her 2022 award-winning cookbook "I Dream of Dinner -- So You Don't Have To," nonchalantly mentions Ali lives in Brooklyn without a dishwasher, food processor, or stand mixer. For me, these facts alone prove she has amazing cooking chops. I use my food processor like most people use their favorite knife - virtually every day, and would be lost without it. For me, a dishwasher is non-negotiable. A stand mixer is nice to have, but not essential. So I bow down to her minimalist approach to cooking.
I make them, yes, with my food processor, and aggressively sprinkle them on salads, soups, and pasta. Homemade breadcrumbs instantly make everything better.
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Method
As much as I respect Ali's cooking methodology, I have made a few changes to her Orzo Salad with Lemon, Asparagus, and Crunchy Breadcrumb recipe.Breadcrumbs
Ali uses panko, which is OK, but homemade breadcrumbs make everything better. They are easy to make. 15 seconds in the food processor and 10 minutes in the oven and you have crunchy perfection. I use them on pasta and salad all the time. They take an OK dish up to outstanding. For this Orzo Salad with Lemon, Asparagus, and Crunchy Breadcrumbs recipe, I make the breadcrumbs first..
I break down day-old bread in a food processor, spread it on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle on a little garlic powder, and bake the breadcrumbs in a 400-degree sheet pan.
Alternatively, you can cook them in a frying pan on the stove. Either way works beautifully. Just stay focused and don't let them burn.
Asparagus
Ali cooks the orzo and asparagus together in the same pot that she cooks the orzo. In fact, she cooks them together at the same time. Kudos on cooking everything in the same pot, but roasted asparagus tastes much better than boiled asparagus. Instead, I use the same sheet pan I used for the bread crumbs to roast the asparagus. So, belly up and add a sheet pan to your dinner clean-up. (Easy for me to say as JP, my husband, does all the dishes!)
Note: for this dish I prefer thin asparagus over thick asparagus. Bonus, the skinny asparagus also take less time to roast than the beefier ones.
Cherry Tomatoes
I add halved cherry tomatoes to the dish. The tomatoes brighten both the flavor and appearance of the dish. Between the red cherries and the green asparagus, this dish makes for a great holiday buffet or potluck dish.Farro Variation
Orzo is my favorite pasta for making pasta salad. It absorbs the dressing well and has a lovely mouthfeel. I am, however, trying to reduce my intake of white flour. So I tried the same recipe but substituted farro for the orzo. The farro version was very good, but not quite as addictive as the orzo version. If you are going for nutrition, use farro. If you just want a delicious dish, perfect for a week night meal or a contribution to a potluck meal, stick with the orzo. PrintOrzo Salad with Lemon, Asparagus and Crunchy Breadcrumbs
This is a slight variation on Aly Slagel’s Lemony Orzo with Asparagus and Breadcrumbs. It makes for a quick weeknight meal as well as a perfect contribution to a potluck dinner.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 - 12 servings 1x
- Cuisine: New American
Ingredients
Scale
For the breadcrumbs:
- 4 thick slices of day-old sourdough bread (or you can use panko)
- A splash of olive oil
- 1 t garlic powder
- Pinch of kosher salt
For the asparagus:
- 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, cleaned and cut into 1 1/2″ pieces
- Splash of olive oil
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
For the pasta:
- 2 quarts chicken stock
- 1 pound orzo
- 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 ounces parmesan, shaved
- 1 handful of fresh mint, stemmed and torn
- 1 handful of fresh dill, roughly chopped
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
For the breadcrumbs:
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Put the bread slices in a food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs. Turn out onto a sheet pan, spread out evenly, sprinkle with garlic powder and drizzle olive oil toss the crumbs with your hands until they are thoroughly coated.
- Bake for approximately 5 minutes, remove from the oven and toss. Return to the oven and check after three minutes. Bake until they are golden brown and crispy. Turn out onto a plate and set aside.
- Alternatively, you can toast them in a skillet on the stove. Just stir frequently so they don’t burn.
For the asparagus:
- Wipe the breadcrumb sheet pan clean. Add the asparagus to the pan, drizzle with olive oil and toss with your hands. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast for 5-7 minutes at 400°F. Remove from oven, toss, and continue roasting until asparagus begins to color. The total roasting time will depend on the thickness of the asparagus.
For the dressing:
- In a bowl large enough to accommodate the entire pasta salad, whisk together olive oil and lemon zest, lemon juice and season with kosher salt, freshly ground pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Set aside.
For the pasta:
- Bring chicken stock to a boil in a pot. Add orzo and cook according to package instructions until al dente, usually about 7 – 10 minutes. Drain the orzo and add it to the bowl with the dressing.
- Add the roasted asparagus, cherry tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and chopped herbs to the bowl with the orzo and dressing. Toss and adjust seasonings.
- Right before serving, transfer to your serving bowl and top with some of the breadcrumbs. Wait until you are ready to serve to add the breadcrumbs so they retain their crunchiness. I like to offer additional breadcrumbs for those who really want a crunch fest.
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