If you're looking for an easy pasta salad with plenty of flavor, this Pesto Orzo Salad is for you. It's loaded with plenty of basil pesto, pearl mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and fresh spinach.
My method for adding the pesto to warm orzo allows the pesto to coat every bit of the pasta evenly.
Orzo salad with pesto
I think I could eat pasta every single day and one of my favorite pasta shapes is orzo pasta. There's just something about that small oblong shape that is perfect in so many dishes.
This basil pesto orzo salad is delicious. Pasta salads like this are so versatile. I made it one night as a side dish for dinner and then packed it into a small container to eat at an outdoor music festival the next day. It tastes as good as leftovers as it does on the day it was made.
I plan on making this salad on repeat for my family and it will also be a go-to salad for potlucks and BBQs.
Key ingredients
- Pesto - Use homemade basil pesto or your favorite store-bought pesto.
- Orzo Pasta - Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta often sold in a small one-pound box. You'll need half of a box.
- Spinach - Use baby spinach leaves. Frozen spinach will not work in this recipe.
- Mozzarella Balls - Find the small mozzarella balls, often called pearls. If you can't find pearls, just chop up a large piece of mozzarella into small cubes.
- Tomatoes - Use cherry or grape tomatoes.
Step-by-step directions
- Cook the orzo according to package directions.
- When cooked, drain but do not rinse the orzo. Place drained orzo in a bowl and let cool slightly. Stir gently so the hot areas can cool slightly.
- Once the orzo has cooled slightly, add the pesto and stir so the orzo is coated.
- Let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes then stir again and then stir in chopped spinach.
- Add tomatoes and mozzarella. Stir gently until it's well combined.
- If the pasta seems dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.
Recipe tips
- Add a dash of salt if desired.
- If refrigerated, allow the salad to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Stir before serving. The pasta will often absorb the oil from the pesto over time. If the pasta is too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Cover and refrigerate and use within 3-4 days.
Variations on pesto orzo salad
- Use your favorite type of pesto. Try arugula pesto, parsley pesto or for something entirely different sundried tomato pesto.
- Add chopped chicken.
- Toast a few pine nuts to add to the salad.
- Sprinkle with a bit of shredded Parmesan cheese.
Frequently asked questions
When covered and refrigerated, this salad will be good for 3-4 days.
Yes, you can use small shells, bowties, spaghetti or small macaroni pasta. Almost any pasta will work.
Serving suggestions
- Beer Can Chicken
- Lemon Herb Chicken
- Pan Fried Walleye
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
- Sauteed Shrimp
More delicious pasta salads
- Easy Pasta Salad
- Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Orzo Chicken Salad
More from Beyond The Chicken Coop
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious salads.
Pesto Orzo Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces orzo pasta (uncooked)
- 1 cup pesto
- 8 ounces pearl mozzarella (or cubed mozzarella)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 2 cups spinach (roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Cook the orzo according to package directions.8 ounces orzo pasta
- When cooked, drain but do not rinse the orzo. Place drained orzo in a bowl and let cool slightly. Stir gently so the hot areas are able to cool slightly too.
- Once the orzo has cooled slightly, add the pesto and stir so the orzo is coated.1 cup pesto
- Let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes then stir again and then stir in chopped spinach.2 cups spinach
- Add tomatoes and mozzarella. Stir gently until it's well combined.8 ounces pearl mozzarella, 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- If the pasta seems dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.
Notes
- Add a dash of salt if desired.
- If refrigerated, allow the salad to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Stir before serving. The pasta will often absorb the oil from the pesto over time. If the pasta is too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Cover and refrigerate and use within 3-4 days.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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