This pesto orzo salad recipe highlights bold, delicious ingredients. Basil pesto sauce, feta cheese, sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, and fresh, peppery arugula combine to create a bright, fresh, flavorful summer salad!
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Why You'll Love This Dish
This orzo pasta salad is quick and super easy to make. Boil the orzo according to package instructions, then mix in the other ingredients and it's ready.
It's adaptable. You can add fresh basil leaves, swap the sundried tomatoes for cherry tomatoes, or use mozzarella balls in place of feta for more of a caprese salad vibe.
You have the option to use premade pesto or whip up your own pesto. Use your favorite ingredients, or what you have on hand.
It's versatile. Pack it into work lunches, have it poolside, or make it for an easy dinner. It's a perfect salad to bring to picnics, potlucks, BBQs, or any other gathering.
Finally, it's a delicious recipe. Cooked orzo, salty feta, sweet, tart sundried tomatoes, bright, fresh pesto, and creamy pine nuts create a Mediterranean-inspired salad you'll love.
What You'll Need
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- Orzo If you can't find orzo, you can use another small pasta.
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- Pesto You can use storebought or fresh. I recommend this Almond Pesto recipe if using fresh pesto.
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- Feta If you aren't a fan of feta, try goat cheese or fresh mozzarella pearls instead. All will add a wonderful creaminess to the salad.
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- Sundried Tomatoes You'll want to use julienned tomatoes.Feel free to swap these for halved or whole cherry tomatoes if you prefer them.
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- Arugula I like using the baby variety.
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- Pine Nuts
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- Olive Oil This is my favorite brand.
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- Kosher Salt and Pepper This is my favorite brand of kosher salt.
How to Make Orzo Pesto Salad
Step One: Place a pot of cold water over high heat. Bring the water to a boil and salt generously. Cook the orzo to al dente and drain.
Step Two: Transfer the cooked orzo to a large bowl. Add all of the remaining ingredients, mix well, and taste for seasoning.
Step Three: You can let the recipe sit out to come to room temperature, or you can place it in the fridge to cool before serving.
Variations
Lemony Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to your salad for extra brightness.
Olives Add more salty, bold Mediterranean flavor with some chopped olives.
Spicy Add chili flake, chopped Calabrian chilis, or a thinly sliced Fresno chili for some heat.
Added Veggies You can add extra vegetables here if you'd like. Some sliced roasted bell peppers or a handful of spinach would be nice.
How to Store
Store leftover orzo pesto pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
You do not need to reheat this dish.
I do not recommend freezing this salad.
FAQ
You can use other small pasta shapes, like elbow macaroni, fregola, ditalini, pastina, or stelline. You could also try couscous or quinoa!
This recipe for Almond Pesto will teach you how to make your own homemade pesto. It's quite easy! Put your measured ingredients in a food processor, blend to your desired consistency, and it's ready to go.
This recipe is typically eaten at room temperature or cold.
How to Serve Orzo Salad with Pesto
Try this pasta salad with...
Expert Tips
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- If you make the pesto in advance, add a squeeze of lemon juice to maintain the bright green color.
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- Once the orzo is cooked, drain the orzo and run it under cold water. This will stop the cooking process and cool the orzo more quickly.
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- Don't overcook your orzo! I typically cook pasta one minute less than the box directions. This will avoid mushy pasta.
Other Recipes You'll Love
If you're in the mood for more easy salad recipes, try these:
Beet Cucumber Salad with Feta and Dill
Burrata Salad with Balsamic Glaze
📖 Recipe
Orzo Pesto Salad with Feta and Tomatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
Pesto
- If making pesto from scratch, prepare one batch of Almond Pesto.
Orzo Salad
- Place a pot of cold water over high heat. Bring the water to a boil and salt generously. Cook the orzo to al dente and drain. Rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking process and quickly cool it.
- Transfer the cooked orzo to a large bowl. Add all of the remaining ingredients, mix well, and taste for seasoning.
- You can let the recipe sit out to come to room temperature, or you can place it in the fridge to cool before serving.
Notes
- Add more olive oil as needed if the salad seems dry.
- You can replace the feta with goat cheese or mozzarella pearls.
- Sundried tomatoes can be replaced with cherry tomatoes.
- If you make the pesto in advance, add a squeeze of lemon juice to maintain the bright green color.
- You can stop the cooking process and cool the orzo more quickly. Once the orzo is cooked, drain the orzo and run it under cold water.
- Don't overcook your orzo! I typically cook pasta one minute less than the box directions. This will lead to a mushy pasta salad.
- Storage leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- I do not recommend freezing.
Glenda says
I forget how much I love orzo until I try a salad like this. Yum! The pine nuts are the perfect added crunch. And, the addition of those briny artichoke hearts takes this salad over the top. Delicious!
Genevieve says
Thank you, Glenda! I just love those pine nuts.
Traci says
Delicious recipe that did not disappoint! I made the kids with orzo and mine with some rice. Absolutely delicious flavor to this dish!
Genevieve says
Wonderful! Glad the whole family enjoyed it.
Gina says
Delicious easy pasta salad that's great as a side dish but so easy to bulk up with some cooked chicken sausage which I also love doing for a quick meal!
Genevieve says
Fantastic idea! I'll have to make it with some sausage next time.
Liz says
I always have a box of orzo in my pantry and this is one of my favorite things to use it for! So yummy!
Genevieve says
Yay! I love keeping orzo on hand, too. Thanks Liz!
Madison says
This combines all of my favorite ingredients!! Pesto on anything is always a hit for me. Love that this is so easy to throw together too.
Genevieve says
Thanks, Madison! Absolutely, this one is really easy.
Rachna says
Orzo salad with pesto was super delicious. I loved how feta enhanced the taste of the salad. Super fresh and definitely will be made again.
Shilpa says
I loved this pasta salad. It’s so delicious and filling. I also topped mine with lemon juice and loved the tangy flavor it added.
Genevieve says
Ooh, good idea! Thanks Shilpa!
G.Sue says
The layers and pops of flavor in this salad are wonderful. There's something new in every bit from the sundried tomatoes to the artichoke hearts. And the pesto is the perfect foil to bring it all together.
Genevieve says
What a thoughtful comment! Thank you so much.
Sue says
I so often overlook orzo and this salad shows what a mistake that is! The Mediterranean flavors really brightened up my meal. This one will be a favorite this summer!
Genevieve says
That's so good to hear! Thanks, Sue!
Jennifer says
This is such an easy and tasty salad! I love the tangy feta in it and the creamy pesto is delish!
Genevieve says
Thank you so much, Jenn!