This Pesto Orzo Salad is a bright, simple dish made from a handful of fresh ingredients. Tender orzo is tossed with homemade basil pesto, juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and baby spinach. It comes together in under 30 minutes and can easily be turned into a main by adding grilled chicken, shrimp, or beans.
Pasta salads with orzo are a favorite for warm-weather meals. Light, versatile and easy to make, this pesto orzo salad offers a fresh alternative to classic lemon-based orzo recipes. It’s perfect alongside grilled foods or served on its own as a satisfying, flavorful side.
Make it for a summer BBQ, a potluck, or a quick weeknight dinner—this salad is forgiving and adapts well to what you have on hand.
For more seasonal salad ideas, explore other favorites such as Chickpea Feta Salad, Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad, Tortellini Pesto Salad, or Watermelon Avocado Salad with Feta.
Why You Will Love This Pesto Orzo Salad:
- Ready in under 30 minutes. Cook the orzo, make a quick basil pesto, chop your tomatoes and mozzarella, then toss. Using store-bought pesto will speed things up further, but homemade pesto delivers the best flavor.
- Easy to customize. The base ingredients are simple, so you can add proteins, vegetables, or swap items to suit dietary needs and preferences.
- Delicious and fresh. The combination of bright pesto, sweet tomatoes and creamy mozzarella is a classic for a reason.
- Great for garden produce. If you grow basil or have fresh tomatoes, this salad is a wonderful way to showcase those summer flavors.
Recipe Ingredients:
- Orzo: a rice-shaped pasta found in the pasta aisle. Small pasta shapes can substitute, but orzo works best here.
- Tomatoes: grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered.
- Spinach: baby spinach adds color and nutrition and wilts slightly when mixed with the warm orzo. Avoid frozen spinach for this recipe.
- Mozzarella: fresh mozzarella, cut into bite-sized pieces (pearls work too if you prefer).
- Basil: fresh leaves are essential for bright pesto flavor.
- Pine nuts: toast briefly for best flavor. Walnuts or pepitas work as alternatives for cost or allergy reasons.
- Olive oil: use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best taste.
- Lemon juice: fresh is ideal; a little zest can be added for extra brightness.
- Garlic: fresh cloves or minced garlic to taste.
- Parmesan: grated parmesan lends savory depth; omit if needed.
- Salt and pepper: adjust to taste.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo until al dente, following package directions. While the orzo cooks, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and fragrant. Watch them closely so they don’t burn, then remove and cool.
Prepare the pesto while the orzo cooks. In a food processor or blender, combine basil, garlic and cooled pine nuts and process until it becomes a coarse paste. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice. Pour in half the olive oil and blend, then continue adding olive oil as needed to reach a slightly loose, pourable consistency that will coat the salad. Stir in the grated parmesan and pulse until incorporated.
Drain the orzo and rinse briefly with cool water to stop the cooking. Add the chopped spinach to the warm orzo and let it wilt slightly, then transfer to a mixing bowl.
Toss together the orzo, spinach, tomatoes, mozzarella and about 3/4 of the pesto in a large bowl until well combined. Reserve the remaining pesto to add at serving if you like. If the salad seems dry, add 2–3 tablespoons more olive oil to loosen it.
Chill the salad until ready to serve. Before serving, toss with any remaining pesto and a little extra olive oil if needed. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and fresh basil.
Recipe Tips
- Keep the pesto slightly thin. A looser pesto coats the orzo and vegetables more evenly. Add extra olive oil while blending to reach the right consistency.
- Always toast the pine nuts. Toasting intensifies their flavor. Let them cool on parchment for 10–15 minutes before using.
- Make it nut-free if needed. Swap pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for pine nuts, or omit nuts entirely and slightly reduce the oil.
- Add lemon zest if you like extra brightness. About 1 teaspoon of lemon zest stirred into the salad gives a pleasant zing.
- Make ahead. This salad holds well and often tastes better the next day. If preparing ahead, reserve about a quarter of the pesto and add it just before serving for the freshest flavor.
Possible Salad Add-Ins:
This salad is excellent as written, but you can easily add other ingredients for variety and heartiness:
- Grilled chicken, cubed
- Grilled shrimp
- Diced red onion
- Grilled zucchini, quartered
- Sliced cucumber
- Chopped artichokes
- Extra shredded parmesan
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Diced bell peppers
- Arugula
- Sliced olives
- White beans like cannellini
- Chickpeas
Storage Instructions:
Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. If chilled, let the salad sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving so the olive oil loosens. Toss with extra pesto or a drizzle of olive oil just before serving to refresh the flavors.
Other Salad Recipes to Try:
- Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
- Mixed Berry Spring Salad
- Ramen Cabbage Salad with Peanut Dressing
- Tomato Basil Pasta Salad
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- Cajun Potato Salad
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Pesto Orzo Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 2 c orzo, uncooked
- 1 ½ c baby spinach, chopped
- 10 oz grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 c fresh mozzarella, cut into bite-sized pieces
Pesto Ingredients:
- 2 c fresh basil, stems removed
- 1–2 garlic cloves
- 3 T pine nuts
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2–2/3 c olive oil
- 1/3 c grated parmesan
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Boil the orzo. Cook to al dente. Toast pine nuts in a skillet 2–3 minutes until fragrant, then cool.
- Make the pesto. Process basil, garlic and cooled pine nuts in a food processor. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice, then stream in olive oil until slightly loose. Stir in parmesan.
- Drain orzo and rinse with cool water. Add chopped spinach to wilt.
- Toss orzo, spinach, tomatoes, mozzarella and about 3/4 of the pesto. Add more oil if needed.
- Chill, then toss with remaining pesto and a drizzle of olive oil before serving. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and basil.
Notes
- Thin pesto coats ingredients best. Add extra olive oil while blending if needed.
- Toast pine nuts for better flavor. Cool them on parchment before using.
- Optional lemon zest. Add about 1 teaspoon for extra brightness.
- Make ahead. Salad often tastes better the next day; reserve some pesto to add just before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
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