Orzo Pesto Pasta Salad

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This orzo pesto pasta salad with basil pesto, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella is tasty and perfect for a light meal or a summer side dish.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Blue Zone Recipes, Greek

Keyword: Healthy Pasta Salad, Orzo Pesto Pasta Salad , Pesto Orzo salad, side dish, Summer Pasta Salad

Servings: people

Calories: 678kcal

Author: Vladka Merva

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Salad

1 ½ cup 300 g orzo pasta (use whole wheat if possible)
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved (or grape/Roma tomatoes, chopped)
1 yellow bell pepper diced (or red/green if preferred)
1 cup cooked chickpeas about 1 can, rinsed and drained
½ cup feta cheese crumbled (or fresh mozzarella balls, about 100 g)
¼ cup fresh basil leaves roughly chopped
¼ cup pine nuts toasted (or walnuts for a Blue Zone twist)
2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
Salt + pepper to taste
2 l water to cook the orzo

For the Basil Pesto (about 1/2 cup)

1 cups fresh basil leaves packed
2 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts/almonds
1 cloves garlic
¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated (or 1/8 cup nutritional yeast for vegan)
¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt + pepper to taste

Instructions

Don’t skip this step! Heat a little olive oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the orzo and toast for 2–3 minutes until golden and nutty in aroma.
1 1/2 cup 300 g orzo pasta, 2 tbsp olive oil
Pour in salted water orzo and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, drizzle with olive oil, and let it cool to room temperature before combining it with other ingredients
2 l water to cook the orzo, 2 tbsp olive oil
In a small pan, toast the pine nuts over medium heat for 2–3 minutes. Stir often so they don’t burn.
¼ cup pine nuts
Quarter the cherry tomatoes, dice the yellow bell pepper, chop the fresh basil, and rinse and drain the chickpeas.
1 cup cherry tomatoes, 1 yellow bell pepper, ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, 1 cup cooked chickpeas
In a food processor, blend fresh basil, pine nuts (or walnuts), garlic, Parmesan, lemon juice, and olive oil until smooth. Adjust with more olive oil or lemon juice if needed.
2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons pine nuts
In a large bowl, combine orzo, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, feta (or mozzarella balls), toasted pine nuts, and fresh basil.
½ cup feta cheese
Spoon in the basil pesto and toss gently until everything is well coated. If it looks a bit dry, add a drizzle of olive oil or a squeeze of lemon juice.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve right away, or let the salad sit for 10–15 minutes so the flavors can meld.
Salt + pepper

Video

Notes

Toast the Orzo - Don’t skip this step! Toasting orzo in a little oil or butter before cooking gives it a nutty taste and a pretty golden color.
Always cook the orzo al dente and let it cool to room temperature before mixing.

Nutrition