Orzo Pasta Salad with Grilled Steak
Orzo pasta. At first glance, you may think it’s rice, but orzo isn’t a grain – it’s a quick-cooking pasta that makes a very yummy summer salad. This Orzo Pasta Salad with Grilled Steak has a lemon-y vinaigrette, lots of veggies, feta cheese, and last but not least, a nice helping of sliced, grilled steak.
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Things to Love About This Recipe
- This salad makes a wonderful light supper or lunch when the weather is hot.
- You can incorporate any summer vegetables you prefer in this salad.
- I love the added crunch that the soy nuts give!
What Ingredients Will You Need to Make This Salad?
For the Dressing –
- red wine vinegar
- zest and juice of a lemon
- zest and juice of a lemon
- honey
- red pepper flakes
- olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Salad –
- orzo pasta
- grape tomatoes, yellow and red
- feta cheese crumbles
- scallions
- fresh basil
- soy nuts
- sliced, grilled steak
How to Make Orzo Pasta Salad in 3 Easy Steps
- Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar or dressing cruet; shake well to combine.
- Place the salad ingredients, except for the steak, into a large mixing bowl; drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad, then gently toss to combine.
- Place the salad onto a large serving platter or bowl; top the salad with the slices of grilled steak. EAT!
Helpful Recipe Tips
- Feel free to use any type of leftover cooked meat in this salad. I’ve made this salad with leftover grilled salmon, chicken and even sliced pork chops.
- Reserving half of the dressing until just before you serve the salad ensures that the pasta salad can’t absorb all the dressing as it sits, which it definitely will! Been there, done that.
- I also like this salad when it has the addition of sauted zucchini and bell peppers, softening them up just a bit before adding to the remaining salad ingredients.
- The fresh basil is essential to this salad! Don’t skip it, please!
- When chopping the basil and the scallions, I find that using my kitchen shears instead of a knife is much quicker.
- I like to cook my orzo pasta ahead of time (I dress it with a bit of olive oil to keep it from sticking together) and also the steak.
- That way, when I’m ready make the salad, I can whip it together much more quickly.
- This salad holds well; you can keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
3 Tips for Grilling a Great Steak –
- Don’t over cook it! The flat iron (named for it’s shape) is best cooked to medium rare (145 degrees F. at the center), due to the nature of the shoulder cut. Sirloin steak is also best cooked to medium rare, as well.
- Before slicing your steak, be sure to let it rest (tented with foil) for 5-10 minutes after removing it from the grill or your cast iron skillet – this gives it time to gather it’s juices back to the center of the steak.
- Always make sure you slice the steak ACROSS the grain into thin slices for the most tender experience.
Other Summer Salad Recipes to Enjoy –
- Creamy Chipotle Pasta Salad with Shredded Chicken and Smoked Gouda
- Summer Corn Salad
- Tortellini Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Corn and Basil
- Crunchy Corn Salad
- Sweet Corn and Baby Pea Salad with Jicama
- Delta Cornbread Salad
- Grandma Lucille’s German Potato Salad
- Classic Macaroni Salad
- Chicken Salad with Red Grapes and Walnuts
- Instant Pot Potato Salad
- Grandma Lucille’s Ham Salad
- Broccoli Potato Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
- BLT Pasta Salad (Bacon Lettuce and Tomato Pasta Salad)
- Mexican Panzanella Salad with Steak and Shrimp
Printable Directions for Making Orzo Pasta Salad with Grilled Beef
Orzo Pasta Salad with Grilled Steak
This Orzo Pasta Salad with Grilled Steak has a lemon-y vinaigrette, lots of veggies, feta cheese, and last but not least, a nice helping of sliced, grilled steak.
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Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 524kcal
Ingredients
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbs. honey
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup good olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad Ingredients
- 1 lb. orzo pasta, cooked according to pkg directions, drained and cooled slightly
- 2 C. red and yellow teardrop or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 8 oz. pkg feta crumbles
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 bundle scallions, both green and white parts, chopped
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 C. soy nuts, may substitute pine nuts or sunflower seeds but soy nuts provide the best crunch
- 1 lb. grilled beef flat iron or sirloin steak, cooked to medium rare, sliced thinly across the grain, warm
Instructions
Make the Dressing
- Place the dressing ingredients into a jar with a lid or a dressing cruet; shake well until the ingredients are well combined; reserve.
Assemble the Salad
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the orzo, tomatoes, feta, basil, scallions and soy nuts, Drizzle salad with half of the prepared dressing, gentlyi tossing to coat all the ingredients. Season the salad to taste with kosher salt and pepper. When you are ready to serve the salad, add the remaining half of the dressing, then toss the salad once more. Top the salad with the slices of grilled steak and serve. Salad is best served at room temperature, instead of chilled.
Nutrition
Calories: 524kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 358mg | Potassium: 597mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 798IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 3mg
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