Grilled Corn Orzo Scallion Dill (Printable Version)
Smoky grilled corn and tender orzo tossed with crisp vegetables in a zesty scallion dill dressing. Perfect warm-weather fare.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Salad
01 - 1 cup dry orzo pasta
02 - 3 ears fresh corn, husked
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 small English cucumber, diced
05 - 1/2 red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
→ For the Scallion Dill Dressing
08 - 3 scallions, roughly chopped
09 - 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
10 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
12 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 clove garlic
15 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
02 - Brush the corn lightly with olive oil and grill, turning occasionally, until charred in spots and tender (8–10 minutes). Let cool, then cut the kernels from the cobs.
03 - Cook orzo in salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
04 - In a blender or food processor, combine all dressing ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy; adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - In a large bowl, combine cooked orzo, grilled corn kernels, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and chopped dill. Toss gently.
06 - Pour the scallion dill dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.
07 - Top with crumbled feta if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
# Expert Insights:
01 -
- The smoky charred corn against the cool orzo creates this incredible contrast that wakes up your whole palate
- This dressing is the kind of thing you will want to put on everything, not just this salad
02 -
- The salad tastes even better after it sits for an hour, giving the flavors time to marry and the orzo to really absorb that dressing
- Grill the corn ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, then this salad comes together in literally 10 minutes
03 -
- Grill extra corn when you have the grill going and freeze the kernels for future batches
- Double the dressing and keep it in a jar, it is amazing on green salads and roasted vegetables too