I’ve been a little obsessed with Chimichurri since I made it a couple weeks ago. I just keep finding new uses for it! Quite a few people left comments on the original chimichurri recipe talking about how it was used on their favorite salad as a dressing, so I thought I’d do the same. This incredibly simple Zucchini and Orzo Salad gives you all the best flavors and colors of summer and can be jazzed up and modified several different ways.
What is Chimichurri?
Chimichurri is an Argentinian sauce made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, fresh herbs, and spices. This uncooked, super fresh and vibrant sauce can be used as a marinade, dipping sauce, or condiment to drizzle over meat, vegetables, and more. And it’s so absolutely delicious that you’ll be addicted after the first taste.
Dress it Up or Keep it Simple
Just as I love to do, I’m giving you the base recipe for this Zucchini and Orzo Salad with Chimichurri below, plus a few ideas to take it a step or two further if you have the funds or desire for something a little extra fancy.
I wanted to keep my Zucchini and Orzo Salad vegan, but if that’s not a concern for you a little cheese would be awesome with this mix. Try a few crumbles of feta or those cute little mozzarella pearls. The cheese will marinate in the chimichurri and soak up all those wonderful flavors! YUM.
How to Use Leftover Chimichurri
Speaking of marinating, I didn’t use the entire chimichurri batch in my salad, so you could easily portion off some of it and use it as a marinade for chicken, and then add the chicken to the salad after cooking. And for all you fellow egg lovers out there, I can’t stop thinking about how awesome a soft boiled egg would be on top of this lovely salad.
And if you need more ideas for your leftover chimichurri, head over to the original chimichurri post to see some ideas for how you can enjoy it. The possibilities are truly endless.
Zucchini and Orzo Salad with Chimichurri
Servings 4Ingredients
CHIMICHURRI
- 1/2 cup olive oil ($0.83)
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar ($0.40)
- 1 cup Italian parsley, packed ($0.35)
- 1/2 cup cilantro*, packed ($0.19)
- 3 cloves garlic ($0.24)
- 1 tsp dried oregano ( $0.10)
- 1/2 tsp cumin ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
SALAD
- 1 cup uncooked orzo ($1.07)
- 1 medium zucchini (0.75 to 1 lb.) ($1.29)
- 1 pinch salt and pepper ($0.05)
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes ( $2.79)
Instructions
- Prepare the chimichurri by washing the parsley and cilantro leaves well, then shaking off as much water as possible. Pull the leaves from the stems and add them to a food processor, along with the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, cumin, red pepper, and salt. Pulse the mixture until smooth. (Or finely mince the parsley, cilantro, and garlic with a knife and stir together with the remaining ingredients.)
- Cook the orzo according to the package directions, drain in a colander, and then let cool.
- Slice the zucchini into 1/4 inch thick rounds. The zucchini can be added to the salad raw, grilled, or roasted in the oven first. I used a countertop grill to grill the slices, then cut them into quarter rounds after grilling. If roasting in the oven, toss with a little oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, then roast at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Let the zucchini cool slightly.
- While the zucchini and pasta are cooling, slice the grape tomatoes in half. Once the zucchini and orzo are no longer steaming hot, combine them in a bowl with the tomatoes. Pour about half of the chimichurri over top, and then toss until everything is coated. Add more chimichurri to your liking (I used about 3/4 of the batch). Taste and add salt or pepper to the salad if needed.
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Notes
Nutrition
Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Zucchini and Orzo Salad – Step by Step Photos
Prepare the chimichurri by rinsing the parsley and cilantro leaves well, then shaking off as much water as possible (you don’t want watery chimichurri). Pull the leaves from the parsley and pack about one cup full of leaves. Pack 1/2 cup full of cilantro leaves. Add the parsley and cilantro to a food processor along with 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, and 1/2 tsp salt. Pulse until smooth. If you don’t have a food processor, mince the parsley, cilantro, and garlic with a knife, then stir together with the rest of the ingredients.
If you prefer a chunkier chimichurri, you can chop garlic and herbs by hand and then just stir in the remaining ingredients.
Cook one cup of orzo according to the package directions, then drain in a colander and let cool. I have also seen whole wheat orzo, which would be very nice in this salad.
Slice one 3/4 lb. to 1 lb. zucchini into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick rounds. You can add the zucchini to the salad raw, grill it, or roast it in the oven. I chose to grill mine using a countertop grill (George Foreman). If you’re adding the zucchini to your salad raw, go ahead and cut it into quarter rounds at this point. If you are grilling, it’s easier to cut them into smaller pieces after grilling.
Season the zucchini slices with a pinch of salt and pepper before grilling or roasting. OR, you can toss the zucchini slices in a small bit of the chimichurri before grilling or roasting. To roast the slices, either toss them in a little of the chimichurri, or a splash of oil, then roast at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.
After cooking the zucchini, cut them into quarter rounds and transfer them to a bowl to cool slightly. While waiting for the zucchini to cool, slice the grape tomatoes in half.
Add the drained and cooled orzo to the bowl, then pour about half of the chimichurri over top.
Stir the salad until everything is evenly coated, then add more chimichurri to your liking. I ended up using about 3/4 of the batch. The pasta will absorb some of the moisture from the chimichurri, so I would suggest adding slightly more than you’d expect.
Give the salad a final taste and add a pinch of salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy!
Soooo fresssshhhhh! 💦
This works great as a mason jar meal for work lunches! I added one can of chicken I had on hand for protein, and added more grape tomatoes on top of each mason jar salad for garnish. I think I will use more spice in the sauce (a tiny bit more pepper flakes) next time, but the original recipe made for a healthy, filling and vibrant lunch!
Why don’t you do the weekly recaps anymore?
I started doing it during the September Challenge and never really meant to do it permanently. I ended up carrying it out about six months, but in the end decided it wasn’t a good fit for me or the blog. You can read the reasons at the end of my final Weekly Recap. :)
This recipe was a pleasant surprise. It has flavors that kids (at least ours) don’t usually go for but this was a hit. Served with grilled chicken. Next time I’ll try adding parmasean or feta.
For some reason I wasn’t sure if I should serve it cold or warm; however, it was great warm at dinner AND cold out of the fridge!
So so so so so good! I served this with broiled salmon, which is a great vehicle for the remaining sauce. Delicious and very doable on a weeknight. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this!
For protein I seasoned little slices of tofu with soy sauce, adobo seasoning, and paprika. I grilled them in a pan so they had a nice sear on each side. The sauce was very strong, so I only needed a little in my bowl.
I didn’t have enough Orzo so I made some pearl couscous to fill in the blanks, which worked well.
Oh yeah! We subbed wheat berries for the orzo (spelt or farro also would work) and added about 1 c. steamed green beans to the mix. The only question is whether we’ll eat all of it before dinner, because dinner is a whole 90 minutes away. Thanks for another hit!
Everyone loved it for dinner last night. None of the zucchini was ripe in the yard and I forgot to grab one at Rouses so I subbed frozen shelled edamame. I just microwaved a cup or so before adding it. The protein was a good plus and the taste worked. I will try the original recipe as soon as our squash kicks in again but will probably add some beans as well. Thanks for another keeper!
My garden is overflowing with zucchini & cherry tomatoes so I was thrilled to find this recipe. Made it today & family loved it! This is my new favorite summer salad.
I used your chimichurri in a lentil salad last week – it was AMAZING. I love hearty salads like this that I can serve as a side at dinner and pack leftovers to take to work for lunch the next day.
Is this best served room temp or can it be chilled? And can it be made a day ahead? Thanks!
The flavors are a bit more bold at room temperature, but it’s great chilled. I ate it cold from the refrigerator as leftovers.
It’s so good! The sauce is amazing — bright, with a little spice and hint of a kick. My only add: fully drained garbanzo beans, to pump in some protein. I will definitely make this again.
Super thrilled to try this. Have almost every ingredient growing in my garden, except the olive oil. But believe me, when I can plant an olive oil tree , I’ll be the first to do so! This recipe is going to save me some serious cash, yay!!!! Will triple it.
Oh my goodness, this looks so tasty! I think I’m gonna have to run out and get all of these ingredients tonight!
You have done it again! Your recipes seem to always appeal to me and are just right for the weather. Thanks! I only wish there was WHOLE WHEAT orzo since we should eat whole grains. Thanks.
Silly me! I just googled whole wheat orzo and found it in many places. Duh. I have never seen it on grocery store shelves, though.
I love all these things in the recipe! I also really like orzo, I’m not sure what it is about it, but it gives such a different taste and it’s delectable. looks good!
This looks like it would be a refreshing salad on hot summer nights. I always have a ton of zucchini from the garden this time of year so I love finding recipes like this to use it up.