This Pesto Orzo Salad recipe is made with simple ingredients and fresh flavors. This is the perfect side dish for a hot summer day and is done in just 20 minutes!
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🌟Why You'll Love this Recipe
- 20 minutes to make. This fresh dish is prepared and cooked in only 20 minutes for an easy main dish salad or light side dish.
- Fresh ingredients. This recipe only uses a handful of ingredients that are fresh and light. If you are a fan of orzo, you will also enjoy my Mediterranean Lemon Orzo Salad and Bone-In Chicken Soup with Orzo.
- Limited cooking. This recipe calls for cooking only one ingredient, the orzo. Everything else is tossed together in the salad as is.
🥘Ingredients and Substitutions
- Orzo pasta. Orzo is a small pasta perfect for a cold pasta salad. You can substitute it for a gluten-free option like quinoa or use another little pasta you have on hand, such as elbow pasta.
- Fresh pesto. Use my Spinach and Basil Pesto recipe for an even fresher dish or use a store-bought pesto. My pesto is made without pine nuts for those with allergies!
- Arugula. The peppery flavor of arugula definitely adds to this dish but you can easily substitute baby spinach for a more mild addition to the salad.
- Fresh mozzarella. You can substitute crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese for the mozzarella pearls.
- Whole cherry tomatoes. Use grape tomatoes, Roma tomatoes or even sun-dried tomatoes.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
🔪Instructions
- Cook the orzo to start. Cook orzo in a saucepan according to the package instructions. Cook until al dente, strain and rinse it under cold water.
- Once cooled, transfer the orzo to a large serving bowl. Add all remaining ingredients besides the balsamic and mix.
- Drizzle with the balsamic glaze right before serving. Enjoy!
💭Recipe FAQs
Typically pasta salad is served cold. I would not recommend serving this dish hot as the arugula will wilt. However, if you prefer it warm, you can serve it hot without the arugula.
Your orzo pasta salad should be stored in an airtight container and is safe to eat within 3-5 days of preparation.
Orzo can be found in the pasta aisle of most grocery stores.
A quarter cup of orzo is about 200 calories. This entire recipe using 1.5 cups of orzo will be about 315 calories. However, keep in mind the serving size will vary and these numbers will also change.
👩🏻🍳Chef Tips
- Don't overcook the orzo. When cooking any pasta I recommend cooking to al dente which means the pasta is still firm when bitten. Orzo cooks for about 7-8 minutes in a large pot of salted water. Orzo turns to mush when overcooked, making for a disappointing pasta salad.
- Don't forget to rinse the orzo under cold water after cooking. The only time I recommend rinsing pasta is when you are using it in a pasta salad. Rinsing it will prevent it from sticking together in the salad.
- Add this recipe to your weeknight meal or eat it as a snack. Cold pasta salads are a great summer snack.
- Use your own pesto sauce for added freshness. My nut-free pesto recipe is made with fresh spinach and fresh basil leaves.
🥗Serving
A good pasta salad pairs well with almost every main. Try it alone for a light meal or with my Turkey Smash Burgers, Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs, or Chicken Burger Recipe.
You can also grill up some chicken or shrimp and serve it on top of the salad for a delicious Summer dinner!
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Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below—I’d love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!
Recipe
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Pesto Orzo Salad
See the full post for extra tips and photos
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups of uncooked orzo
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 cup mozzarella pearls
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup pesto
- 2 ½ ounces arugula
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze, optional
Instructions
- Cook the orzo in a saucepan, according to the package instructions. Drain the orzo when it is al dente, strain it and then rinse it under cold water. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients, aside from the balsamic glaze to the bowl.
- Toss the salad, drizzle with balsamic glaze, if desired and serve immediately or keep it in the fridge until you are ready to enjoy it. If you are serving the salad later, drizzle the balsamic just before you dig in.
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Sarah's Tips
- Don't overcook the orzo. When cooking any pasta I recommend cooking to al dente which means the pasta is still firm when bitten. Orzo cooks for about 7-8 minutes in a large pot of salted water. Orzo turns to mush when overcooked, making for a disappointing pasta salad.
- Don't forget to rinse the orzo under cold water after cooking. The only time I recommend rinsing pasta is when you are using it in a pasta salad. Rinsing it will prevent it from sticking together in the salad.
- Add this recipe to your weeknight meal or eat it as a snack. Cold pasta salads are a great summer snack.
- Use your own pesto sauce for added freshness. My nut-free pesto recipe is made with fresh spinach and fresh basil leaves.
KITCHEN TOOLS NEEDED
- Cutting board
- Saucepan
Donna Trigg says
Easy to prepare with good tips. I added pan roasted pine nuts and thin sliced red onion. I also tossed the arugula with a small amount of olive oil and red wine vinegar. Very festive for Xmas salad. Line plate with sliced cucumbers.
David Holt says
This was easy to make and quite tasty. Enjoyed it with air fried chicken thighs. Grazie!
Sarah Holt says
❤️
Nancy says
Just made this with your nut free pesto..Delicious!! This will be a summer staple in this house!
Sarah Holt says
The perfect summer salad!