Fresh, Vibrant, and Delicious
Pasta dishes are a fantastic way to highlight seasonal produce, and this spring we’ve shared many vibrant, fresh flavors with you. As we near the end of the season, we thought there’s no better way to wrap things up than with a quintessential spring pasta dish — a pasta salad!
This Corn & Zucchini Orzo Salad takes things to the next level, featuring sweet grilled corn, tender zucchini, and a creamy lime dressing with a kick of chilli powder. Fresh coriander adds a burst of brightness, and the whole dish is topped with tangy slivers of fresh goat cheese. It's the perfect dish for those warmer days ahead.
Corn and Zucchini Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese
Serves 4 - 6
Total Prep Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
3 ears of corn, husked
450g small zucchini or summer squash, halved lengthwise
60ml extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
225g orzo pasta
60g natural yoghurt (or mayonnaise)
45ml fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 teaspoon guajillo or ancho chilli powder (regular chilli powder is fine if you can’t get your hands on these)
40g coarsely chopped fresh coriander
55g fresh goat cheese, frozen
Method
Light the grill or heat a grill pan. In a large bowl, toss the corn and zucchini with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper. Grill over moderate heat: the zucchini should cook for about 10 minutes, and the corn for about 15 minutes, until charred and crisp-tender. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool. Once cooled, cut the kernels off the corn and coarsely chop the zucchini. Set aside in a large bowl.
In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain the orzo and rinse under cold water to cool it down. Drain well and spread the orzo out on a baking sheet. Pat dry with paper towels.
In a large bowl, whisk together the yoghurt (or mayonnaise), remaining 45ml olive oil, lime juice, shallot, chile powder, and 20g of the chopped coriander. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the orzo, corn, zucchini, and the remaining coriander to the dressing. Toss everything together until well combined.
Transfer to a serving platter. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the frozen goat cheese over the top of the salad. Serve and enjoy!