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Shrimp Orzo Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course, Salad
Keyword: honey lemon dressing, lunch, mains, orzo, salad, salad dressing, shrimp, shrimp orzo salad
Servings: 6
Author: Ashlen Leonard

Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked orzo
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1/2 cup red onion diced
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbled
  • 1/4 cup cilantro

Shrimp

  • 20-25 medium sized raw shrimp peeled
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • Pinch of black pepper

Honey Lemon Dressing

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 3 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • Pinch of salt and pepper each

Instructions

  • Bring a pot of 2 cups of water to boil. Add the orzo and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until soft and chewy. Set aside.
  • While the orzo is cooking, add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a frying pan on medium heat. Add the shrimp and sprinkle them with paprika, garlic powder and black pepper. Cook them for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they are opaque. Set aside.
  • To make the salad dressing, add all ingredients together in a mason jar or glass measuring cup and mix well. Set aside.
  • To a large bowl, add the cooked orzo, cooked shrimp, grape tomatoes, corn, red onion, feta and cilantro.
  • Add 1/2 cup of salad dressing and mix well. Add more salad dressing if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Notes

Substitutions:

  •  Orzo
    • Make it gluten-free with gluten-free orzo. You could also use rice instead if you can't find an orzo alternative.
  • Shrimp (with paprika and garlic powder)
    • I recommend using small- to medium-sized shrimp so they are bite-sized pieces.
    • You could use larger shrimp and cut them into smaller pieces before adding them to the salad.
  • Grape tomatoes
    • Grape tomatoes have thicker skins and are less watery than cherry tomatoes. I do not recommend using cherry tomatoes in this recipe as they will make it soggy over time.
  • Corn
    • I recommend using canned corn kernels and draining and rinsing them to remove the majority of the sodium.
  • Feta cheese
    • To make this dairy-free, use a plant-based feta alternative or omit the cheese altogether.
  • Cilantro
    • If you are not a fan of cilantro, you can use fresh basil instead.
 
Salad dressing ingredient alternatives:
  • Lemon juice
    • Using the juice of a fresh lemon will provide more authentic flavour but if this isn't accessible to you, you can use packaged lemon juice as well.
  • Coriander
    • Did you know that coriander is another word for cilantro? If you are not a fan of cilantro, you can use dried basil instead!