springy green goddess shrimp + orzo chop
lean, green, and tastes like spring!!!
Somehow every year I’m surprised by the lushness of spring. Carmel doesn’t do dramatic season changes like other regions do — it stays green all fall and winter long. But in the spring, it goes from green to GREEN!!!! Everything becomes technicolor.
All that fresh new growth inspired the creation of this fresh new dinner salad. The idea of using a green goddess dressing has been on my mind nonstop, and I am in love with how this springy chopped salad turned out!
It gives us everything we’re craving right now: crunchy veg (crispy romaine, cabbage, cucumber, and snap peas!), shrimp for lots of lean protein, some nice soft texture from avocado and orzo, and an addicting herby green goddess salad dressing that you’ll want to make again and again.
I love shrimp paired with green goddess dressing, and we haven’t cooked with shrimp here on WTC in months, so I’m excited to bring it back into your dinner rotation. I always keep a bag of frozen shrimp in my freezer because it’s one of my boys’ “safe foods.” They absolutely crush shrimp every time I cook it.
If it’s been a while since you shopped for shrimp, here are some tips.
Fresh vs. frozen
I almost always cook with frozen shrimp. When shrimp is caught at sea, unless it’s headed straight to a fishmonger, it’s immediately put in a freezer right there on the boat. So frozen shrimp you thaw yourself will often be fresher than “fresh” shrimp on display at a grocery store, which were previously frozen then thawed to be put out on display.
If you live near the coast and have access to a fishmonger, which is a shop that exclusively sells fish and other seafood, the shrimp on display might really be fresh off the boat! You can call ahead and ask if it’s fresh or previously frozen.
Either way, try to buy your shrimp peeled, deveined, and ideally with the tails off to make your life MUCH easier. Because when you don’t feel like cooking, you certainly do not feel like peeling and deveining shrimp.
If you’re cooking with frozen shrimp, let it thaw overnight in the fridge and pat it dry before using. And if your shrimp come with tails on them, pull those suckers off before you cook them.
What size do I buy?
Shrimp size is denoted with words like “small,” “medium,” “large,” “extra large,” “jumbo,” or “colossal” and/or a number, which represents the number of shrimp that make up a pound. For example, 21/25 stands for 21 to 25 shrimp per pound. The higher the number, the smaller the shrimp. The lower the number, the bigger the shrimp.
For this recipe, I used U-20, which means “under 20 shrimp per pound.” So, I used big guys! You can use absolutely any size though. If they’re smaller, they may need a few seconds less cooking time. If they’re really big (like “colossal” size), I’d actually cut them in half and cook for the same amount of time so that you don’t need a knife to eat this meal!
In this recipe, we’re cooking the shrimp in the same pot where we cook the orzo to avoid dirtying another dish. It’s the most I don’t feel like cooking cooking method out there. Just dump it in and let it cook!
To gussy up this meal for a fancier feeling occasion, marinate the shrimp in a few spoonfuls of the green goddess dressing for between 30 minutes and four hours (no longer), then thread the shrimp on skewers and grill them! About one minute per side over high heat should do it. I’d also grill some sliced sourdough at the same time to serve with your salad and shrimp skewers.
See the notes section beneath the recipe for more alternative cooking methods, if you don’t own a grill and still want to gussy it up.
PS, this salad would make a delightful last-minute addition to an Easter spread, with or without the shrimp!
I have to admit something. Next time I make this recipe, I’ll definitely cook it with chicken. The shrimp is SO GOOD. But I love a great salad with chicken. That’s what I typically crave. So, I’m giving you a few methods to make this salad with chicken instead, because I would not blame ya one bit.
If you’re swapping the shrimp out for chicken, you could poach it before you cook the orzo, or you could cook it a handful of other ways instead. Here are your options:
Poach the chicken. Season 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts with kosher salt and pepper. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and add the chicken breasts. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 11 to 14 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F using an instant-read thermometer. Use tongs to take the cooked chicken out and place it on a cutting board. Use a spoon to skim off any weird foamy chicken bits from the surface of the water. Bring the water back to a boil over high heat and proceed with cooking the orzo per package directions. Yes this is totally food safe if you let it come back to a boil — you basically make chicken broth, and then cook your pasta in it!
Cook ground chicken. Heat a large skillet with a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and cook, breaking it up into small crumbles, until mostly cooked through and starting to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add 2 spoonfuls of the green goddess dressing and stir to evenly distribute. Continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked through. Let the chicken cool slightly before adding it to the salad.
Pan sear or grill the chicken. Marinate 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs in a few spoonfuls of the green goddess dressing, using just enough to lightly coat them, in the fridge for between 30 minutes and 4 hours. Pan sear the marinated chicken following these directions, or grill it using these directions. Let the cooked chicken rest for a few minutes, then chop it up and add to your salad.
Here are two more springy shrimp recipes to cook in the coming weeks: one-pot lemony garlic butter shrimp orzo and tropical shrimp (or chicken, salmon, or steak!) bowls. For another green goddess-y dinner salad, try my chopped Italian goddess.
Serves 4 to 6
Cook time: 30
Tools:
Ingredients:
Orzo and shrimp:
Kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds U-20 raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (thawed and patted dry if using frozen)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry orzo
Extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Green Goddess Dressing:
1 packed cup fresh parsley (leaves and tender stems) (about 1 1/2 to 2 ounces)
1/2 packed cup fresh dill (fronds and tender stems) (about 1 ounce)
1/4 cup roughly chopped chives (about 1/2 ounce)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 small garlic clove, peeled
Juice of 1 medium lemon (2 to 3 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Salad:
2 romaine hearts, chopped into small bite-sized (1/2-inch) pieces
1 (10- to 12-ounce) bag pre-shredded cabbage or slaw mix (I love angel hair coleslaw here)
1 cup snap peas, thinly sliced on a slight diagonal into thin strips
1/2 English (hothouse) cucumber, 1/3-inch chopped
3 scallions (aka green onions), thinly sliced
1 large avocado, diced
4 to 6 ounces feta, crumbled (about 1 to 1 1/2 cups)
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water (use 2 big four-finger pinches of kosher salt) to a boil over high heat.
While the water is coming to a boil, season 1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp with a big pinch of kosher salt and several grinds of black pepper. If you’re feeling lazy, you can skip this step.
Drop 1 cup dry orzo in the boiling water and immediately set two timers:
Set one timer for the amount of cook time it says on your package of orzo (mine said 10 minutes).
Set a second timer for the amount of cook time that it says on your package of orzo MINUS 1 minute — this is when you’ll add the shrimp. (So I set it for 9 minutes.)
While the orzo cooks, stir it occasionally to prevent it from clumping together. When your shorter timer goes off, add the shrimp to the pot and stir gently to separate and submerge the shrimp. When the longer timer goes off and the shrimp have just turned opaque, drain the orzo and shrimp in a colander. If the shrimp still look translucent when your timer goes off, cook for another 10 to 20 seconds. Right when they turn opaque, drain — they’ll continue cooking from the residual heat. Shrimp cook very quickly and can turn rubbery if overcooked, so keep a close eye on them!
With the orzo and shrimp still in the colander, add a big drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, the juice of 1 lemon, and a big pinch of kosher salt. Toss gently right away, then let cool for a few minutes. Give the orzo and shrimp a stir once or twice as it cools to release some steam and prevent clumping. Some of the orzo, lemon juice, and EVOO may slip through the holes in the colander — that’s OK!
While the orzo is cooking, start on your green goddess dressing. Add 1 packed cup parsley leaves and tender stems, 1/2 packed cup fresh dill fronds and tender stems, 1/4 cup roughly chopped chives, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1 small peeled garlic clove, the juice of 1 medium lemon (2 to 3 tablespoons), 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon honey, and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt to a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy but still flecked with herbs — you want to see little green bits throughout. Add a splash of water, if needed, to get it to a drizzle-able consistency. Taste and adjust if needed, blending in more kosher salt, lemon juice, and/or another small clove of garlic (if you’re a garlic-lover, you may want more garlicky flavor!) until it tastes bright and balanced.
Chop 2 romaine hearts into small, bite-sized pieces (about a 1/2-inch chop — the smaller the better since this is a chopped salad!) and add to a large serving bowl along with 1 (10- to 12-ounce) bag shredded cabbage.
Thinly slice 1 cup snap peas, cutting on a slight diagonal into thin strips. Chop 1/2 an English cucumber into small pieces (I quartered the cucumber lengthwise, then chopped into 1/3-inch pieces) and thinly slice 3 scallions (use both the green and white parts, only discarding the roots at the bottom). Add everything to the serving bowl, season with a big pinch of kosher salt, and toss to combine.
Add the cooled orzo and shrimp to the bowl, along with 1 diced avocado and 4 to 6 ounces of crumbled feta. Pour as much green goddess dressing as you’d like over top and toss to coat. I typically use all of it, but we all have different preferences here, so start with half and add more a little at a time until it’s perfectly dressed for your liking (you can always add more, but you can’t take it off once it’s on there!).
Serve immediately.
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I don’t like shrimp: This recipe would be delicious with pretty much any protein.
For chicken: See the “use chicken instead” note above the recipe.
For steak (skirt, flank, or sirloin would all be great here): Marinate them for up to 4 hours in the fridge with a few spoonfuls of green goddess dressing. Grill over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until desired internal temp (125-130°F for medium-rare; 135-140°F for medium; or above for well done).
For salmon: Marinate the fish in a few spoonfuls of green goddess dressing for up to 30 minutes. To grill it, oil the grates and grill skin-side down over medium-high for 5 to 6 minutes for the first side, then 2 to 4 minutes on the second side, or until it reaches 120 to 130°F internally and flakes easily with a fork. Or you could bake it at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Or cook it in oil in a skillet over medium-high until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Or…
Vegetarian: Tofu would be so good with this meal. Press a block of extra-firm tofu to remove excess water. You can either slice it lengthwise into big flat planks (best for grilling) or cube it. Marinate it for 30 minutes in a few spoonfuls of green goddess dressing, then either grill it, pan sear it (aka, cook it in a skillet until golden), or bake it at 400°F for 20 minutes, or until it starts to crisp up (flipping once halfway through). Crispy baked chickpeas or cannellini beans would also be delicious here. You can use a vegan Worcestershire sauce (regular Worcestershire contains anchovy) or swap it out for soy sauce or tamari.
I’d rather cook the shrimp a different way: Boiling them is easy and straightforward, but not the most exciting method. I will say, the dressing adds enough flavor that it really is not a problem to cook them more simply. They still end up super flavorful! But if you want to cook them another way (or just read about some great ways to cook shrimp!) here ya go. Start all of these methods by marinating your shrimp in a few spoonfuls of green goddess dressing for between 30 minutes and 4 hours — no longer than that or the texture will get weird.
To cook shrimp on the grill: Thread the marinated shrimp onto skewers — don’t pack them too tightly, they need a little breathing room. Heat your grill or grill pan to high heat. Once hot, cook the skewers for about 1 minute per side, until the shrimp are pink, opaque, and have some nice grill marks.
To cook them in a skillet: Warm your largest skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat until shimmering. Tilt the pan around to coat it in oil. Shake off as much marinade from the shrimp as possible, then add them to the skillet in an even layer. Cook the shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden-brown all over. Add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and toss to coat the shrimp in melted butter.
To broil them: Position your oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler element and preheat on high for at least 5 minutes. Shake as much marinade as you can off the shrimp as you add them in a single layer on a sheet pan. Don't crowd them. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium shrimp, 3 to 4 for large/jumbo. They're done when pink, opaque, and just starting to curl. Pull them the second they look done — shrimp go from perfect to rubbery very fast under a broiler!
Feeding kids: Serve the salad deconstructed. Shrimp in a pile, orzo in a pile (pull the orzo and shrimp out for them before you add them to the salad), and any veggies they’d eat in piles. If needed, add some marinara or Parmesan or whatever they like to the orzo!
What do you mean “leaves/fronds and tender stems?” By this I mean you don’t have to pluck the leaves off like you would for herbs such as rosemary, where the stem is super thick. You can include those thin, tender stems that the leaves are attached to in the dressing.
Prep ahead: You can make the green goddess dressing up to 3 days ahead of time. You could also prep the orzo and shrimp mixture up to a day in advance if you wanted to. Let it cool completely, cover it, and store in the fridge. Reheat until just warm in a pot on the stove, adding splashes of water to separate everything as it warms. You could also pre-chop your veg! Alternatively, you could just go ahead and….
Love your leftovers/make this a good-all-week salad: Romaine doesn’t hold up well once dressed. If you aren’t planning to eat the whole salad at one meal, you can swap the romaine out for kale. If swapping: after adding the kale and cabbage to the bowl, add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt, then use your hands to massage the kale for 30 to 60 seconds, until slightly softened and darker in color. This will let the salad hold up great in the fridge for up to 4 days! One caveat is that avocado will brown, so don’t add that if you’re prepping the salad ahead of time. Just top individual servings with it.
Feeding 1 or 2: You could halve the whole recipe. Or, read the tip above to turn it into a good-all-week salad that will hold up dressed in the fridge so that you have lunch leftovers for days.
Dairy-free: Use a dairy-free plain yogurt. Use DF feta or omit it. If you want briny flavor in place of it, you could add some chopped castelvetrano olives.
Gluten-free: Use gluten-free orzo or see below for more sub ideas. Check that your Worcestershire is GF (not all are).
Orzo: Israeli couscous or another tiny pasta like ditalini, small shells, or acini de pepe. For gluten-free, use a GF orzo, quinoa, or brown rice. Farro or couscous would also work well. If you’re swapping in a grain that isn’t cooked in a big pot of boiling water (for example, quinoa), see the “I’d rather cook the shrimp a different way” note above for alternative ways to cook the shrimp. You could also skip the grain altogether.
Extra-virgin olive oil: Olive oil or a neutral cooking oil like avocado, grapeseed, or canola
Lemon juice: Light-colored vinegar like white wine, apple cider, or rice vinegar
Parsley: Basil or cilantro or a mix of both. I prefer parsley for this but either sub would work!
Dill: Basil, cilantro, more parsley, tarragon
Chives: More dill or scallions
Garlic: 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or a thawed frozen cube of crushed garlic
Dijon: Any smooth mustard. Or mayo.
Worcestershire sauce: Vegan Worcestershire, an anchovy filet (or anchovy paste), soy sauce, or tamari
Honey: Maple syrup or agave
Greek yogurt: Plain yogurt, sour cream, labneh, or a dairy-free yogurt. Mayo would work but would make it richer.
Shrimp: See the notes section above for lots of shrimp subs!
Romaine: Any leafy green lettuce, kale (see the “make it a good-all-week salad” note above), or double the cabbage.
Pre-shredded cabbage or slaw mix: 1/2 a head of any green cabbage thinly sliced, thinly sliced kale, or double the romaine
Snap peas: Blanched or steamed peas or green beans, or chopped bell pepper for crunch
Cucumber: Thinly sliced celery, chopped bell pepper, or omit
Scallions: Chopped chives, pickled red onions, or omit
Avocado: Omit if needed. For some alternative healthy fats, you could garnish your salad with a nut like toasted, salted pistachios or almonds.
Feta: Cotija, goat cheese, grated Parm, or skip it
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Editor: Molly Ramsey
Photographer: Saltwater Studio
made this for easter without the shrimp and paired with caro's everyone-loves-this-salmon - and they were so good together!!
I’m obsessed with these bright springy green salads. Made the Vietnamese chicken chop to rave reviews for houseguests this week. Saw it was on the meal plan for this week and I think it would pair wonderfully with this green goddess salad because you can use the leftover cabbage from chicken chop!