Lemony Eggplant Orzo Salad
This vibrant and refreshing salad is packed with fresh, in-season vegetables, perfectly roasted eggplant, and a delicious lemon pepper dressing! Perfect for warm summer days!!
Ingredients
Roasted Eggplant
- 1/2 large eggplant
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp smoked sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Orzo Salad
- 1 cup dry whole wheat orzo
- 1 1/2 cups arugula
- 1/2 cup diced cucumber
- 1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup sweet canned corn drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives
- 1 tbsp diced fresh basil
- 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta
Lemon Pepper Dressing
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Leaving the skin on, cut the eggplant into 1 inch cubes and add them to a large bowl. To the bowl, add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, paprika, cumin, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Toss the eggplant with the marinade. Spread the eggplant cubes onto a large baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Roast at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until the eggplant is very soft and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- For the orzo salad, start by boiling about 5 quarts of water in a pot on high heat. Add in a few large pinches of salt. Once boiling, add 1 cup of dry whole wheat orzo and place the lid on top. Once it returns to a boil, remove the lid and allow the orzo to boil for 9 minutes. Drain the orzo thoroughly. Set aside.
- To a large salad bowl, add the washed arugula, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, corn, Kalamata olives, basil, and crumbled goat cheese.
- To make the dressing, combine the olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
- To assemble, add the orzo and eggplant to the salad bowl. Pour in the lemon pepper dressing and using a pair of tongs or salad servers, toss everything together until evenly distributed. Serve cold!