Grilled Corn Orzo Salad (Printable View)
Smoky grilled corn and tender orzo tossed in a creamy herb-packed scallion dill dressing. A perfect summer dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Salad
01 - 1 cup dry orzo pasta
02 - 2 large ears corn, husked
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/2 English cucumber, diced
05 - 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
07 - 1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
08 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Scallion Dill Dressing
09 - 3 scallions, chopped
10 - 1/3 cup fresh dill, chopped
11 - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
12 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
13 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
16 - 1 teaspoon honey
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook orzo according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water to halt cooking, and set aside to cool completely.
02 - Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Lightly brush the husked corn ears with olive oil. Grill, turning every couple of minutes, until kernels are slightly charred and tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Stand each ear upright and slice the kernels off the cob.
03 - In a blender or food processor, combine the scallions, fresh dill, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, honey, salt, and black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled orzo, grilled corn kernels, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, finely diced red onion, crumbled feta, and chopped fresh dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
05 - Pour the scallion dill dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The scallion dill dressing is the kind of thing you will want to put on everything from roasted potatoes to a spoon.
- It comes together in forty minutes and travels beautifully, which means it is the dish everyone asks you to bring.
02 -
- The dressing thickens as it sits in the fridge so stir in a splash of water or lemon juice before serving leftovers.
- Grilling the corn slightly underdone is better than overdoing it because the residual heat keeps cooking the kernels off the grill.
03 -
- Cut the corn kernels into a wide shallow bowl instead of a cutting board to stop them from bouncing across the kitchen.
- Make the dressing first so the flavors have time to marry while you cook the pasta and grill the corn.