Zucchini Ricotta Orzo Salad Recipes

ORZO WITH ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Stir in the orzo and cook according to package directions for al dente; drain.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the scallion whites and zucchini; cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the orzo, scallion greens, parsley, mint and 1 cup water. Simmer, uncovered, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Top with the feta.

ORZO TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange tomatoes, cut sides up, in a single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle evenly with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Roast for 1 hour. Let cool for 30 minutes.
• While tomatoes cool, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain; transfer to a large bowl.
• While pasta cooks, whisk vinegar, mustard, honey, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Slowly add 5 tablespoons oil, whisking constantly to combine.
• Stir half of vinaigrette (about ¼ cup) into hot pasta in bowl. Let pasta mixture cool, stirring occasionally, until room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Add remaining vinaigrette to pasta mixture. Stir in ½ cup cheese, roasted tomatoes, parsley, and pine nuts. Transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup cheese, drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and top with parsley. This crowd-pleaser makes the most of the season's colorful, juicy tomatoes. Roast them low and slow to concentrate their flavor.

ORZO AND ZUCCHINI SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium pot of boiling salted water, cook orzo until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain well. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet to cool completely.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add zucchini and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Transfer orzo to a medium bowl; add zucchini mixture, basil, vinegar, and remaining teaspoon oil. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine.

LEMON ORZO SALAD WITH ZUCCHINI AND FRESH HERBS

Steps:

• Cook the orzo until tender but firm.
• Drain in a colander; rinse under cold water to cool, and drain well.
• Mix the orzo, zucchini, parsley, and mint in a large bowl with a large spoon.
• Whisk the remaining ingredients in a small bowl.
• Pour over the salad and mix with a large spoon.

ZUCCHINI RICOTTA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cut zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-in. slices. Place in a basket over 1 in. of boiling water. Cover and steam until just tender, 5-6 minutes. Drain; pat dry. , In a large bowl, combine ricotta, egg substitute, 3 tablespoons bread crumbs, 3 tablespoons Parmesan, parsley, oregano, basil and pepper; set aside. , Spread a third of the spaghetti sauce in a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons bread crumbs. Cover with half of the zucchini, ricotta mixture and mozzarella. Repeat layers of sauce, zucchini, ricotta mixture and mozzarella. Cover with remaining sauce., Combine remaining crumbs and Parmesan; sprinkle over top. Cover and bake 45 minutes. Uncover; bake until golden brown, 15 minutes longer. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

ORZO WITH ZUCCHINI AND FETA

Steps:

• Cook orzo according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small microwave-safe bowl, combine zucchini and water. Cover and cook on high for 1 minute or until crisp-tender; drain. , Drain orzo; place in a large bowl. Add the zucchini, feta cheese, oil, oregano, salt and pepper; toss to coat. Serve warm or chilled.

ZUCCHINI AND RICOTTA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Mix zucchini, garlic, mint, olive oil, smoked paprika, and salt in a large bowl until zucchini is evenly coated; transfer to a baking dish.
• Drop dollops of ricotta cheese atop zucchini mixture. Season with cayenne pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven until zucchini is tender and cheese is browned, about 30 minutes.

PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI RICOTTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; when hot add zucchini, along with a large pinch of salt and a sprinkling of pepper.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini begins to brown, then lower heat and cook until it is quite tender, about 15 minutes total. About 5 minutes before it is done, stir in garlic and begin to cook pasta.
• While pasta cooks, warm a serving bowl and put ricotta in it, along with about half the basil. When pasta is tender but not mushy, remove and drain it, reserving about a cup of its cooking liquid.
• Use as much of this liquid as necessary, a bit at a time, to thin ricotta until it reaches a saucy consistency. Toss with pasta, zucchini, remaining basil and Parmesan, if you are using it, then taste and adjust seasoning. Serve.

ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Pour the broth into a heavy large saucepan. Cover the pan and bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Stir in the orzo. Cover partially and cook until the orzo is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Drain the orzo through a strainer. Transfer the orzo to a large wide bowl and toss until the orzo cools slightly. Set aside to cool completely.
• Toss the orzo with the beans, tomatoes, onion, basil, mint, and enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve at room temperature.
• Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if desired.
• Yield: 1 3/4 cups