When summer popped its head in, I was not ready. And I am not talking about the not-so-pleasant part that comes with shaving and such, of course. It’s more down to all the food I was planning to make which I won’t now because it is gotten so hot. So I had to turn to all the salads I can think of, and this ultimate Orzo Pesto Salad recipe is the one you also need so badly. Why, you ask? Because it’s delicious, it’s fresh and it can be whipped up in less than 20 minutes. If this is not a brilliant recipe to have on hand, then I don’t know what is.

You will be greeted by a quick and delicious lunch on your lunch break in the form of this Orzo pesto salad, and because the options of trimmings are endless, it can always change. Best of both worlds, right? And the fact that you can serve it as a side to a main like this Andalusian chicken, or even this vegan egg mayo sandwich. Otherwise, bulked up with some fresh bread like this cottage loaf or this 3 minutes no knead bread. How about next to a dip like this quick whipped feta?

It’s not that I don’t like greens, on the contrary, I love some kind of greens and I would eat them all day long. But salads, your very generic side salad, I just can’t deal with. It’s boring, and my stomach won’t be tickled or even slightly interested in it. So this orzo pesto salad is just what the doctor ordered: there is freshly cooked orzo, basil pesto, sundried tomatoes, spinach, shallots and even crumbled feta. Yum to the yum, as I like to say.

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Yummiest orzo pesto salad recipe

This Mediterranean orzo salad is inspired by the flavours of the Mediterranean Sea: fresh flavors of simple ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, sweet tomatoes, feta cheese and tender orzo pasta. If this does not make your mouth water as is, then I do not know what will. We’re talking about the perfect hot summer day salad, as a light dinner option or even as a main dish salad if you bulk it up enough. Because the options here are endless, and just like any other pesto orzo salad recipe you can think of, this one is up for all the additions and replacements you can think of.

​What is Orzo and is it good for you?

Orzo, also known as risoni due to their elongated shape, it’s a type of short-cut pasta extremely common in the USA, but not as much in Italy! In fact, orzo in Italian translates as barley and has nothing to do with this. It has nothing to do with rice, as well, and while some people just assume it is the same thing, it is definitely not and they are also very much different in texture and flavour profile.

Imagine my frustration when explaining to my mother what I needed to get at the supermarket. And her frustration when she realised all I was talking about was – yet again! – pasta. You will be able to find it in the pasta aisle of most grocery stores, among the small pasta shapes. She has decided to never go back to the pasta aisle with me because it is a whole deal – and I will be scouring and checking every single packet easily, taking an hour or so just there. All for this orzo pesto salad, of course.

But is this orzo deal any good for you? Well, it is not as healthy as we might think. But also not as bad as we all think! First off, it has a high carbohydrate content, with about 78-85g of carbohydrates per 100g of it. Secondly, the other highest nutritional content of orzo is protein, making it a versatile product you can eat with other protein sources. And last, but most definitely not least, orzo has a trace amount of dietary fibre, which can be highly beneficial for the body (healthifyme.com). 

And it’s such a versatile ingredient, from soups to salads, a cold pasta salad and anything else in between, orzo pasta is such a great option to always have on hand. So ahead we go to build this orzo pesto salad.

How do I cook the perfect orzo for a pasta salad?

Cooking orzo for this orzo pesto salad it’s as easy as cooking pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Then cook the orzo on medium heat following the package instructions on the box. Roughly, orzo cooks for 10 minutes or so. Easy, peasy, cook it al dente for best results.

One trick when cooking orzo pasta is to run it under cold water after you drain it. This is to stop the cooking from continuing afterwards, which will make the orzo mushy and chewy. Once it’s cold enough, place it in a bowl, drizzle with some olive oil and mix it in well, then place it in the fridge until you are ready to use it. It will last up to three days in the fridge, covered in cling film or placed in an airtight container.

What ingredients do I need to make this orzo pesto salad?

Of course, the ingredients for this orzo pesto salad are pretty straightforward, but as I mentioned you are also able to change and switch ingredients that are not part of the base of this salad.

So let’s start with the base of this orzo pesto salad, which consists of two basic ingredients: the cooked orzo pasta and the basil pesto. Now, I have quickly explained how to cook the orzo pasta, but when it comes to the pesto you can go two different ways.

The first one is store-bought pesto: there are plenty of good alternatives in most supermarkets to cut time on making your own. And most are also great tasting, of course, but one pet peeve of mine is the replacement of pine nuts for cashews. I love cashews, of course, but pesto is made with pine nuts! The second option is to make your own pesto, and it’s extremely easy so let me tell you everything now.

Ingredients for homemade pesto include fresh basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, garlic and parmesan. A pinch of salt and here we go, blend it all in the food processor and add olive oil until you reach your desired consistency. I can’t even begin to tell you how delicious it would be – and you can replace basil with rocket, carrot tops, or even wild garlic as we did for this bread.

Back to our orzo pesto salad we go. We have added sundried tomatoes and a shallot – it’s sweeter and more delicate than regular onion, but still packs some great flavour! – but also fresh spinach and crumbled feta. All the ingredients are simple and easy, might even be already in your fridge and pantry as it is. So make sure you give this orzo pesto salad a shot now.

How do I make this easy orzo pesto salad?

Once you have the cooking process of the orzo pasta nailed, everything else will be as easy as chopping and mixing. Of all the new recipes you will see this season, this one is the perfect weeknight meal to whip up next time you’re in a rush. A delicious recipe for this orzo pesto salad for which you will need a large bowl, a mixing spoon and plenty of delicious bits and bobs. It is the perfect summer BBQ salad, it can be served cold or at room temperature and it’s such an easy side dish you will be making it over and over again.

But let’s get it together! In a large bowl, measure your orzo and cover it with the fresh pesto, then combine well using a spoon. You can now add the rest of the ingredients: the sun-dried tomatoes, chopped in bite-sized pieces, the spinach (you can pick baby spinach), the shallot and the feta, crumbled.  Mix it all well, add salt if you think it needs and a dust of black pepper and serve the orzo pesto salad. 

Any substitutions I can make for this orzo pesto salad?

Let’s start by saying that anything can work with this orzo pesto pasta salad. The sundried tomatoes can be replaced by some juicy cherry tomatoes or even some grape tomatoes. You can have Roma tomatoes or even whole cherry tomatoes if you’re in a rush. The remaining ingredients are also up for discussion: green onions will work well, as well as red onion replacing the shallot – just remember the red onion will give it a spicy kick not everyone might like.

And as for the feta, because of how savoury and strong it is, you might prefer to use fresh mozzarella instead, and if you pick mozzarella pearls you make it even faster to whip up this perfect side dish! Goat cheese or even some extra parmesan cheese can be of use, but again it all depends on the flavours you and your family prefer when it comes to this orzo pesto salad.

You can add olives like Kalamata olives to give some extra kick of colour, but you can also add bell pepper of any colour and even English cucumber, chopped in small bits to add to the freshness of this salad. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice will elevate this pesto orzo pasta salad, making it one of the pesto recipes you’ll keep on going back to.

As you can see, a handful of ingredients can completely change this easy orzo salad and make it one you can change every time you make it. Just grab that serving bowl, your own pesto sauce (or shop-bought!), and then start chopping and mixing.

Let’s make this orzo pesto salad together.