2clovesgarlicpeeled and minced, or 3 tsp. minced garlic
8asparagus spearscut into 1" pieces with the woody stem discarded
2green onionsthinly sliced
1English cucumberdiced
½cupfeta cheesecrumbled
1tablespoonfresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together the zest and juice of 1 lemon with 5 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, salt and pepper to taste, and a pinch of sugar. This is your lemon olive oil dressing.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 1 ½ cups orzo pasta and cook about 7 minutes, stirring often, until al dente (just tender). Drain and transfer to a large bowl, then toss with the lemon olive oil dressing.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add 2 peeled and minced cloves of garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the 1″ pieces from your 8 asparagus stalks and cook until bright green, 3-4 minutes. Remove asparagus from heat and toss with the orzo.
Mix in 1 diced English cucumber, ½ cup crumbled feta cheese, and 1 tablespoon fresh thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve chilled – it’s delicious both ways!
Notes
Stir the orzo as it boils. Orzo tends to stick to the pan more than other types of pasta, so stir as it cooks to avoid it sticking.
Serve it warm or chilled. This lemon pasta salad recipe is delicious either way! I personally love to make it a day ahead of time and serve it chilled with my favorite BBQ recipes or steak.
Use thin and tender asparagus. Using thin spears of asparagus gives the pasta more room to shine.