I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again – in order for a salad to be satisfying, it has to have it all: different flavors, textures and food groups.

That’s exactly what I love about this salad recipe.

It’s not your ordinary lettuce + veggie salad combo. The base is orzo – a fluffy whole grain that’s almost like a cross between pasta and rice.

Then, the salad is loaded with so many delicious textures and flavor profiles.

To start: perfectly roasted and crispy asparagus, followed by crunchy toasted walnuts, and fresh, thinly sliced shaved radishes.

The salad also has buttery green peas and salty feta cheese. All of these things together make it so, so satisfying. No boring salads over here!

And, this meal is packed with protein too, even without a traditional source of animal protein.

Because it’s a whole grain, orzo contains protein. Plus, the peas, walnuts and feta add protein to the salad too.

(Btw, if you’re not already, make sure to store your walnuts in the fridge or freezer! They go rancid at room temperature because of all the fatty acids they contain.)

The combination of textures and refreshing spring flavors make this meal such a good one. If you’re looking for a meal that’s easy to throw together, tastes refreshing but is also really filling, look no further.

Boil, bake & chop

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 8-9 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.

Cut the rough stems off of the asparagus. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and place asparagus on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.

While asparagus is in the oven, roughly chop the walnuts. When the asparagus has 5 minutes left, add the chopped walnuts to the baking sheet to toast for the remaining 5 minutes. Set aside.

Slice radishes

Using a sharp knife or mandolin, thinly slice the radishes. Set aside.

Radishes are such a great (and unexpected) ingredient to use during the spring and summer. This is when they are extra crisp and even have a hint of sweetness. I usually make radishes too ways – raw or roasted. Both are delicious and super tasty.

Assemble the salad

Mix the cooked orzo with the roasted asparagus. I usually chop mine into slightly smaller pieces for the salad. Add the toasted walnuts, sliced radishes, crumbled feta and peas.

Make the dressing

Make the dressing by whisking all dressing ingredients together well.

Toss salad with dressing. Optional to add fresh herbs on top to garnish.

Notes

Walnuts: While you don’t need to toast the walnuts, I highly recommend it. Toasting adds more depth to their flavor. In place of walnuts, you could also use pine nuts.
Peas: I used frozen sweet peas here – just microwave them with a little water to cook them.
Storage: Store prepared salad and dressing separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Before eating, toss salad with the dressing.

Course: Lunch, Salad