Healthy Recipe: Norwegian Orzo Salad with Shrimp & Spring Vegetables

This fresh and springy salad celebrates the brightest Nordic flavors, with fresh dill and lemon taking center stage. Known for its seafood, Norwegian cuisine often features freshly caught shrimp in the spring and summer months. If you’re lucky enough to be there, look for the smaller cold water prawns, sometimes cooked right in boiling sea water for a salty kick. You can also substitute crawfish for a delicious twist. Orzo provides the perfect foundation for lightly roasted spring vegetables and shrimp, but feel free to swap in quinoa, faro, or another grain here.

Serves: 6

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 small box orzo pasta (about 1 ½ cups uncooked)
• 1 bunch asparagus, tough root ends trimmed
• 2 zucchini, ends trimmed, and cut into small bite size pieces
• 1 pound peeled & deveined raw shrimp, tails removed
• 2 cups frozen peas
• Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
• Lemon juice and zest, to taste
• Fresh dill, chopped, to taste
• Feta cheese, crumbled, to taste (optional- feel free to swap in any semi-firm sheep’s milk cheese)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet, toss together the zucchini, asparagus, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast until just tender, about 8 minutes.
2. On another baking sheet, toss the shrimp with a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast until firm and pink, about 10 minutes.
3. Cook the orzo per package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and transfer to a large bowl.
4. Add the frozen peas to the orzo while it’s still warm. The residual heat will cook them perfectly.
5. Slice the asparagus on an angle into 3-4 pieces. Add them to the orzo, along with the zucchini and shrimp. Drizzle over about ¼ cup olive oil, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Add the juice and zest of at least 2 lemons, more to taste. Add a handful of chopped dill, and feta cheese to taste. Toss everything well to combine, and add more olive oil, lemon juice, salt or pepper as needed.
6. The salad will taste delicious right away, but the flavors improve over a few hours. Serve cold or at room temperature.