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    Home » Recipe Course » Salads

    Pesto Orzo Salad

    December 5, 2022 . By Meeta Arora . 4 Comments | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe
    Pesto Orzo pasta salad in a white bowl
    Easy Summer Pesto Orzo Salad

    Sun-Dried tomatoes, basil leaves, and fresh mozzarella make this Pesto Orzo Salad a summer favorite. It’s fresh, flavorful, and so easy to make! Perfect for a picnic, potluck, or weeknight meal.

    Pesto orzo pasta salad with tomatoes and mozzarella garnished with basil leaves

    I absolutely love pesto, and am always looking for new ways to use it in my cooking. Some of our favorites that I have shared are Gnocchi with Basil Pesto, Instant Pot Spaghetti in Pesto, or even using it as a substitute for chutney in my favorite Avocado Chutney Sandwich recipe.

    We love to use homemade pesto, however sometimes I do get lazy or cannot find fresh basil leaves, then the one from Costco is just as good!

    The light texture of the orzo, combined with the fresh flavors from the basil and tomatoes make this recipe perfect for summer time, similar to my Caprese Orzo Salad.

    You can add other veggies to it, just to add more nutrition into an already healthy recipe!

    Since the salad is so easy to prepare, and can be served warm or cold, it is great to pack for picnics, and even bring it to cookouts throughout the summer months.

    What ingredients go in Pesto Pasta Salad?

    Orzo Pasta- I love the texture of orzo in this salad, but you can also use macaroni, fusilli, farfalle, or any other pasta you have on hand. Although it can be cooked on the stovetop, I like to use my instant pot to get a perfect al dente finish; check out this recipe for a quick how-to!

    Pesto Sauce- Store-bought or homemade pesto, this delicious green basil-sauce is central to a tasty salad.

    Red Onion, Fresh Basil, Grape Tomatoes, & Sun-Dried Tomato- You can also add other veggies, like arugula or spinach. What’s great about the ones used in this recipe is that they are usually found nice and fresh throughout the summer.

    Fresh Mozzarella- I used small fresh mozzarella pearls, but if you cannot find these, take regular mozzarella and then dice it into bite-sized pieces.

    Lemon juice- Lemon juice adds the perfect tangy fresh flavor to this orzo salad.

    ingredients in a bowl to make salad such as orzo, tomatoes, onions and pesto

    How to make Pesto Orzo Pasta Salad?

    Cook the orzo according to package directions until al dente. Drain the orzo, mix with some extra virgin olive oil and let it cool. You can also cook the orzo in the instant pot.

    Mix the orzo, chopped tomatoes, diced red onion, sundried tomato, pesto and lemon juice in a bowl.

    Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste, then garnish with basil leaves.

    Enjoy right away, or refrigerate for about 30 minutes until chilled.

    Pesto pasta salad in a white bowl with a fork

    This pesto pasta salad is so refreshing and has all the wonderful things about summer right in your bowl!

    Closeup of pasta salad with orzo, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and basil leaves

    Enjoy this easy Pesto Orzo Salad for a refreshing light lunch or take it to your next get-together!

    Here is another delicious pasta recipe you will enjoy, Rotini Chickpea Pasta with Arugula and Tomatoes.

    Tried this recipe?Give a rating by clicking the ★ below
    Pesto orzo pasta salad with tomatoes and mozzarella garnished with basil leaves

    Pesto Orzo Salad

    Meeta Arora
    Sun Dried tomatoes, basil leaves, and fresh mozzarella make this Pesto Orzo Salad a summer favorite. It’s fresh, flavorful, and so easy to make! Perfect for a picnic, potluck, or weeknight meal.
    4.91 from 10 votes
    Print Save Saved! Pin
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 310
    Course: Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Italian
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Method: Stovetop
    Prep Time: 5 mins
    Cook Time: 15 mins
    Total Time: 20 mins

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 ounces Orzo pasta ½ box
    • 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive oil
    • 4 ounces Pesto Sauce
    • 6 ounces Grape Tomatoes washed and sliced into half
    • 1 cup Red Onion diced
    • 2 ounces Sundried Tomato julienne cut
    • 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
    • 4 ounces Fresh Mozzarella pearls cut into small pieces
    • Salt & Pepper to taste
    • Fresh Basil leaves to garnish, torn into small pieces or chiffonade
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    Instructions
     

    • Cook the orzo according to package directions until al dente. Drain the orzo, mix with extra virgin olive oil and let it cool.
    • Add orzo, tomatoes, red onion, sundried tomato, pesto and lemon juice in a bowl.
    • Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with basil leaves.
    • Enjoy right away or refrigerate for about 30 minutes until chilled.

    Notes

    Variations: You can also add other veggies, like arugula, spinach or olives. 
     

    Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 12gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 323mgPotassium: 529mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 828IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 153mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword orzo recipes vegetarian, pesto orzo salad, pesto pasta salad
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @PipingPotCurry or #pipingpotcurry

    More Salads

    • Pumpkin Salad (with Feta and Walnuts)
    • Vegan Sorghum Grain Bowl
    • Kala Chana Chaat (Black Chickpea Salad)
    • Kachumber (Indian Cucumber Salad)
    598 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Deena says

      May 30, 2022 at 3:08 am

      Thank you! I’ve been looking for light summer recipes since it’s already approaching 100* here. Everything I’ve made from your recipes has been excellent.

      Reply
      • Piping Pot Curry says

        May 31, 2022 at 11:11 am

        Hi - That makes me happy. Thank you for sharing it back 🙂

        Reply
    2. Jordan Brooks says

      September 18, 2020 at 2:30 pm

      Delicious! I omitted the olive oil since my sundried tomatoes came in oil. And I added a bunch of spinach. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

      Reply
      • Piping Pot Curry says

        September 21, 2020 at 12:56 pm

        Hi Jordan - So good to hear that. Thank you for sharing. 🙂

        Reply

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    Meeta Arora of Piping Pot Curry

    I strongly believe that each one of us has a chef inside us, we just need to explore the ingredients and create great food. Here you will find easy & delicious recipes using Instant Pot & Air Fryer.

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