Grilled Corn Orzo Salad (Printable)

Smoky grilled corn and tender orzo tossed in a creamy herb-packed scallion dill dressing for a perfect summer dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad Base

01 - 1 cup dry orzo pasta
02 - 2 large ears corn, husked
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/2 English cucumber, diced
05 - 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
07 - 1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
08 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Scallion Dill Dressing

09 - 3 scallions, chopped
10 - 1/3 cup fresh dill, chopped
11 - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
12 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
13 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
16 - 1 teaspoon honey
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the orzo according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold running water to halt cooking, and set aside to cool completely.
02 - Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Lightly brush the husked corn ears with olive oil. Grill, turning every 2–3 minutes, until kernels are slightly charred and tender, 8–10 minutes total. Remove from heat and let cool. Stand each ear upright and carefully slice the kernels off the cob.
03 - Combine the scallions, fresh dill, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, honey, salt, and black pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
04 - In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled orzo, grilled corn kernels, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, finely diced red onion, crumbled feta, and chopped fresh dill. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
05 - Pour the scallion dill dressing over the assembled salad. Toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The dressing is so good you will want to put it on everything from roasted potatoes to a plain spoon.
  • It travels beautifully to picnics and actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours.
  • Smoky grilled corn adds a depth that makes this feel far more special than the effort requires.
02 -
  • If you dress the salad and leave it overnight the orzo will drink up all the dressing and you will find a dry sad bowl in the morning so keep dressing separate if making ahead.
  • The corn needs real grill contact to get that smoky flavor so do not crowd the ears and resist the urge to move them too often.
03 -
  • Cut the corn kernels into a large bowl placed inside a sheet pan to catch the flying kernels that always seem to escape.
  • Let the grilled corn rest cut side down on a paper towel for a minute so excess moisture does not water down your dressing.

Return