2mediumshallots, sliced (or 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion)
1tablespoonolive oil
1cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1cupcubed fresh mozzarella
¼ to ½cupfresh basil, torn or thinly sliced
½cuptoasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds
Dressing:
⅓cupolive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1teaspoonhoney
1clovegarlic, finely minced
Pinch salt and pepper, plus more to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place the asparagus, zucchini, and shallots on a half sheet pan, toss with oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes until golden and the veggies are crisp-tender (cook them longer if you want the vegetables softer).
While the vegetables cook, bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook the orzo pasta until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
For the dressing, combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk or blend until smooth. Add additional salt and pepper, to taste, if needed.
I like to wait until the pasta and roasted vegetables are at room temperature before assembling the salad, but you can assemble it while the ingredients are warm.
To assemble, toss the orzo, roasted vegetables, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil together in a serving bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss to combine. Top with pine nuts. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste, if needed. The salad can be eaten chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Adaptable: the ingredients for this salad are very adaptable. You can try using other veggies (broccoli, peppers, etc), swapping out the fresh mozzarella for another kind of cheese, or use toasted sunflower seeds in place of the pine nuts.