Salmon orzo is a quick and easy Mediterranean weeknight dinner that takes only 30 minutes and is sure to become a family favorite! It features lots of healthy, fresh ingredients and is perfect for a light Spring/Summer meal.
Combine orzo and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a brief boil, reduce to a visible simmer, and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes (according to package instructions). Check the orzo 5 minutes into the cooking, and stir it to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Orzo is cooked when all the water is absorbed, and the orzo has a lovely soft texture like cooked pasta. You might have to add more water at the end if the orzo is undercooked or the water evaporates too fast.
Once the orzo is cooked, rinse it in running cold water in a fine mesh strainer. This prevents the orzo from releasing starch and becoming mushy. Don't skip this step!
Sear the salmon
Heat a large, high-sided skillet (I used cast iron) over medium heat for about 4 minutes until it's hot.
I used salmon fillets with skin-on. Season the flesh side of the salmon with salt and freshly ground black pepper, using 1 tablespoon of olive oil to rub the seasonings on top of the fish.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the hot skillet. Add salmon skin side up and cook undisturbed on medium-high heat for 4 minutes.
Flip the salmon to the other side, skin side down. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat.
Carefully slide a wide spatula between each salmon fillet and the skin to separate the flesh from the skin. Remove salmon (without skin) to a plate.
Remove skins from the skillet. You can eat them later or discard them if you don't like them.
Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels.
Cook tomatoes
To the same, now empty and clean skillet add olive oil, minced garlic, half of the cherry tomatoes (saving the other half for later), red chili flakes, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on medium heat, stirring, for 4 minutes, until the tomatoes release juices and the garlic is softened. Stir in the remaining half of the halved tomatoes.
Assembly
Add cooked orzo, juice squeezed from the lemon, and half of the basil pesto to the skillet with cooked tomatoes. Stir everything well together and reheat gently.
Coat the Mozzarella "pearls" in a separate bowl with half of the remaining basil pesto. Add the Mozzarella to the orzo and stir them in. Season the orzo with salt and red pepper flakes.
Add cooked salmon to the orzo. Add dollops of the remaining basil pesto on top of and around the salmon.
Top with toasted pine nuts and fresh basil leaves.
Notes
Make basil pesto from scratch, or use your favorite store-bought version. My homemade basil pesto is one of the best you'll ever taste, as it uses toasted pine nuts and just a touch of mayo. My favorite store-bought kind is always the refrigerated kind: Buitoni brand or refrigerated pesto at Whole Foods.
You can use other kinds of pasta, such as couscous, bow-tie (farfalle), spiral pasta (fusilli), penne, or rigatoni.
Rice is a great (and gluten-free!) substitute for orzo.
Add a splash of heavy cream to the salmon orzo for a creamy version of this dish.