Best side dish of summer! This grilled zucchini, corn and orzo salad is delicious warm, at room temperature or cold straight from the fridge. It’s bright with fresh basil, creamy goat cheese and a lemon vinaigrette. Make it this week!
Summer salads are the best salads.
There’s nothing I love more than grilling seasonal vegetables and tossing them with pasta, grains or greens. Today’s version pairs orzo with grilled zucchini and sweet corn, finished with goat cheese, lots of basil and a lemony dressing.
An orzo salad with grilled corn, charred zucchini, creamy goat cheese and a bright lemon vinaigrette — it’s exactly the kind of summer bowl I reach for again and again.
I make some version of grilled vegetable orzo a lot, but the corn-and-zucchini combo is my family’s favorite. We buy both from local farms when possible — the flavor is unbeatable in season.
This is similar to other summer grain salads I make, like a zucchini and summer squash farro salad, but orzo is the crowd-pleaser in my house. The kids will happily eat anything mixed into a big bowl of orzo.
What’s in this orzo salad
Orzo — the base for the salad, though you can swap any small pasta or grain such as quinoa or short pasta shapes.
Grilled zucchini and corn — grilled together for ease; zucchini is sliced and grilled cut-side down, corn is grilled on the cob and then sliced off.
Crumbled goat cheese — creamy and tangy. Feta, fresh mozzarella or even cheddar can be used as alternatives.
Fresh basil — plenty of basil brightens the salad and gives it a fresh, summery aroma and color.
Lemon vinaigrette — a simple dressing of lemon, vinegar, honey, garlic and olive oil that lightly coats the orzo and vegetables.
This salad is versatile — serve it warm, at room temperature or chilled. It’s an ideal side for summer dinners or a hearty base for grilled chicken, shrimp or beans to make it a main.
Grilled Zucchini Orzo Salad
Grilled Zucchini and Corn Orzo Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound orzo pasta
- 2 large or 3 small/medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
- 4 ears of corn
- olive oil for brushing
- kosher salt and pepper
- 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
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Preheat the grill to high. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo according to package directions; drain.
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Brush the zucchini and corn with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the zucchini cut-side down for 5–6 minutes or until charred, flip and finish cooking. Grill the corn directly on the grate, turning occasionally, until evenly charred.
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Place the cooked orzo in a large bowl and toss with a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette to coat.
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Chop the zucchini and slice the corn from the cobs. Add the vegetables to the orzo along with the goat cheese and basil. Drizzle with more dressing, toss to combine, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
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Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.
Lemon Vinaigrette
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Whisk together the lemon juice, champagne vinegar, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. The dressing keeps in the fridge for about a week in a sealed container.
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Summer dreams.