Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

I found a delicious looking Barefoot Contessa recipe on Live.Love.Eat for roasted vegetables with orzo. I love roasting anything, especially vegetables, and it's still cool enough in the evenings to do it. I adapted the recipe to use what vegetables I had on hand and it turned out wonderful. I loved the flavor of the roasted mushrooms, asparagus, garlic, onions, peppers and tomatoes with the fresh lemon and basil. It was a easy to make and had very little clean up. My husband, son and I loved this orzo side dish and gobbled it up. My daughter wasn't a fan of the feta cheese but ate everything else. Thanks for the great recipe and inspiration Stephanie!


Orzo with Roasted Vegetables:
Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking
Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa and Live.Love.Eat

• 8 oz button mushrooms, sliced in quarters
• 6-8 spears of asparagus, sliced in thirds
• 1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, skin left on while roasting
• 15-20 grape tomatoes
• 4 tbsp olive oil (divided)
• Juice of 1-2 lemons, to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1/2 lb orzo
• 2 green onions, sliced thin
• 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup reduced fat feta cheese
• 10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with tin foil for a quick and easy clean up then coat with cooking spray. Toss the mushrooms, asparagus, bell peppers, onion and garlic (don't forget to leave the skin on so the garlic roasts but doesn't burn), with the olive oil, salt and pepper on the baking sheet.

Roast for 20 minutes then toss with a spatula, add the grape tomatoes and return to the oven to roast for an additional 10 minutes.

While the veggies are roasting, prepare the orzo per instructions - don't forget to salt the water well. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Once the veggies are done, carefully remove the garlic cloves from their skins and slice. Add roasted vegetables and roasting juices to the orzo.

Combine lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste then pour over orzo and vegetables. Add the green onions, pine nuts, feta cheese and basil. Toss to coat evenly. Taste and re-season if needed. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net