Delightful pesto orzo salad, bursting with fresh flavors. Ideal for picnics and potlucks, easy to make in 15 minutes. Enjoy as a side dish or a light meal.
I love using pesto in a lot of my recipes. Today, I’m delighted to share the recipe for a particular dish where I utilized my own homemade vegan pesto – the delightful pesto orzo salad.
This uncomplicated dish bursts with fresh flavors and can be whipped up in a mere 15 minutes.
Whether you are looking for an easy, last-minute picnic salad or a swift and light lunch or dinner option for those scorching summer days, this effortless orzo salad recipe will undoubtedly satisfy your cravings.
WHY CHOOSE ORZO PASTA?
My family loves all types of pasta, but orzo is the ultimate favorite due to its delightful taste, appealing texture, unique shape, and spoon-friendly.
I’ve combined my family’s favorite ingredients, creating the ultimate meal. Each spoonful of this pasta is incredibly delicious, and you’ll wish you made more.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS FOR PESTO ORZO SALAD
To create orzo salad with pesto, gather these basic ingredients:
INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTE SUGGESTIONS
- Orzo: Orzo, a rice-like pasta, can be substituted with other short or medium-cut pasta.
- Frozen green peas: I used frozen peas for quicker cooking, but fresh peas, chickpeas, or sweetcorn can also be used.
- Cherry tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are preferred, but plum, grape, or regular tomatoes work too.
- Onion: Opt for red onions.
- Baby spinach: Freel-free to use any salad greens you prefer.
- Pesto: My vegan pesto was used, but regular or homemade pesto works as well. Check the recipe card for more details and nutrition information.
STEPS TO PREPARE PESTO ORZO SALAD
Creating pesto orzo salad is quick and easy! Just follow these step-by-step instructions for a 15-minute dish.
- Boil salted water in a large pot. Cook orzo as per package instructions.
- Just before straining the orzo, add frozen peas and cook for a minute. If using fresh peas, cook them with the orzo because fresh peas will take a longer period to get cooked
- Strain orzo and peas. Keep some pasta water to adjust the pesto dressing consistency if needed.
- Place cooked orzo and peas in a large glass bowl.
- Add halved cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, chopped onion, lemon juice, sun-dried tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, black pepper, red chili flakes, and salt.
- Gently toss everything together.
Now, your delightful pesto orzo pasta salad is ready to be enjoyed!
HOW TO SERVE PESTO ORZO?
Pesto orzo serves as a side or light weeknight meal. Pair with fresh salad, garlic bread, grilled veggies, or soup.
RECIPE TIPS AND VARIATION SUGGESTIONS
Cook orzo al dente. Avoid overcooking, as it will spoil the salad.
I used homemade vegan pesto because I am a vegetarian. Store-bought pesto contains parmesan cheese with calf rennet, unsuitable for vegans and vegetarians. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, buy vegan pesto or make it at home. I have an easy and tasty vegan pesto recipe on my blog, check it out if interested.
When seasoning the salad, consider the pesto’s ingredients: lemon, salt, and olive oil. Add them carefully.
I added fresh cherry tomatoes and sundried tomatoes to this salad. You can use either.
I used frozen green peas as they cook quickly. If you have fresh peas, cook them longer as they take more time.
You can also add other greens like arugula, green onions, or parsley to this pesto orzo.
For crunch, add nuts or seeds of choice like pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds.
You may also include cooked chickpeas, fresh cucumbers, bell peppers, kalamata olives, and fresh basil leaves in this orzo salad.
Non-vegans can add crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese, while non-vegetarians can add mozzarella pearls to the dish.
To enhance flavor, consider using the oil from the jar of sundried tomatoes instead of plain extra virgin olive oil.
If the pesto dressing is too thick for the salad, adjust the consistency with reserved pasta water.
FAQs
To store, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. It will be fine for 3-4 days. Don’t freeze this orzo pesto salad.
Serve it at room temperature or chilled as a cold pasta salad, or warm as a main course dish. Skip tomatoes, onion, and herbs if you prefer it as a main course pasta dish instead of salad.
Traditional pesto has parmesan, not suitable for vegetarians/vegans. Nowadays, some brands offer vegan pesto, so it’s suitable for you. I used my homemade vegan pesto, recipe shared on this blog. Try it, easy and delicious in 5 minutes.
RECIPE CARD
PESTO ORZO SALAD
Equipment
- 1 Large cooking pot
- 1 Large strainer
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- Knife and chopping board
- 1 Salad mixing spoon
Ingredients
- 1 cup Uncooked orzo (175 grams)
- ¾ cup Vegan pesto use regular pesto if you are not vegetarian
- 1 cup Frozen green peas
- 1 cup Baby spinach roughly chopped
- ½ cup Cherry tomatoes cut in half
- ⅓ cup Chopped sundried tomatoes
- 1 Small red onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp Red chili flakes
- ¼ tsp Ground black pepper adjust to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Boil salted water in a large pot. Cook orzo as per package instructions.
- Just before straining the orzo, add frozen peas and cook for a minute. If using fresh peas, cook them with the orzo because fresh peas will take a longer period to get cooked
- Strain orzo and peas. Keep some pasta water to adjust the pesto dressing consistency if needed.
- Place cooked orzo and peas in a large glass bowl.
- Add halved cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, chopped onion, lemon juice, sun-dried tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, black pepper, red chili flakes, and salt.
- Gently toss everything together.
- Now, your delightful pesto orzo pasta salad is ready to be enjoyed!