Orzo Pasta Salad (with Pesto)

This pesto orzo pasta salad comes together in 20-minutes with pesto, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, lemon juice and fresh basil. Serve it warm, at room temperature, or cold; as it works as a side dish, light lunch, or a meal prep option that holds up well through the week.

Pesto Orzo Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

This pesto orzo is truly simplicity at its best, and I absolutely love this multipurpose recipe because you can eat it as a meal on its own or as a side for just about anything. Truly, it’s so simple, yet bursting with fresh flavor, and I love using my easy homemade pesto to really take the flavors over the top. However to save time and effort, store-bought pesto also works equally well.

The key to this salad is adding the pesto to the pasta while it’s still warm, as hot orzo absorbs the sauce in a way that cold pasta never does, which means you get flavor all the way through instead of just on the surface. I also add the lemon juice and balsamic directly to the warm pasta at the same step, which brightens up a store-bought pesto immediately without needing anything else to make it taste fresh.

The one thing I’d caution against is rinsing the pasta after draining. I tested it both ways and rinsed orzo loses the starch that helps the pesto cling. Drain it, don’t rinse it, and get the pesto on immediately while it’s still hot! The salad might look overdressed at first, but once it sits for 5 to 10 minutes the orzo absorbs everything and the texture comes together. And for another pasta salad that works as a side or a make-ahead lunch, my sun-dried tomato pasta salad uses a similar Mediterranean flavor profile and comes together just as quickly.

Welcome to My Kitchen, Let’s Make a Pesto Orzo

Testing Tips for Pesto Orzo Salad

• Orzo pasta: I love how the orzo absorbs the sauce, however you can use any small pasta shape you like like macaroni, ditalini, or fusilli. For a gluten free version of this recipe, use your favorite gluten free pasta.
• Fresh basil: Fresh basil adds so much fresh flavor and vibrant color to this dish, however I”ve tested this with fresh baby spinach instead and it’s still lovely.
• Toasted pine nuts: I know pipe nuts are expensive, but I just love how they mimic the shape of the orzo and add a little crunch. You could use toasted, slivered almonds instead, or any toasted nut you want.
• Small mozzarella balls: If you cannot find small mozzarella balls, you can use large ones chopped into bite-size pieces. You could leave these out if you want, but they do add protein and heartiness to the dish. Or you could replace the mozzarella with crumbled feta cheese.
• Pesto chicken: This orzo salad make a full meal on its own, but if you want to bump up the protein, add my pesto chicken on top. Perfection!

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