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    Home » Recipes » Sides & Snacks

    Pesto Orzo Salad

    Published: Aug 8, 2022 by Kelsey Smith

    62 shares
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    Jump to Recipe

    This pesto orzo salad is delicious and refreshing, perfect for that end-of-summer cookout. This recipe is beautifully herby and creamy.

    Enjoy this orzo pasta salad with chickpeas as a side dish or a main dish. To add more protein, top with grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon for a fresh and flavorful meal.

    Looking for more pesto dishes? Try a toasted pesto turkey sandwich or tuna pesto pasta.

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • Quick recipe: This recipe only takes 15 minutes to make.
    • Fresh flavors: Cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, pesto, and fresh basil.
    • Vegetarian: This recipe is vegetarian and is easily made vegan with dairy-free pesto.

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Pesto Orzo Salad.
    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Dietary needs
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Frequently asked questions

    Ingredients

    This recipe calls for only seven ingredients.

    Pesto Orzo Salad ingredients.
    • orzo
    • red onion
    • cherry tomatoes
    • English cucumber
    • chickpeas
    • pesto
    • fresh basil (optional)

    See the recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    Cook the orzo according to the package instructions. The orzo should be al dente.

    Top tip: Be sure to salt the water before cooking the pasta.

    Cooked orzo.

    After cooking, drain the orzo, rinse it, and set it aside.

    Pesto Orzo Salad ingredients in mixing bowl.

    In a large bowl, mix together the orzo and the remaining ingredients until well combined and coated in the pesto.

    Orzo salad ingredients combined in mixing bowl.

    Garnish with fresh basil leaves (optional) and enjoy. Other topping ideas include shredded parmesan, feta, or goat cheese.

    Pesto Orzo Salad.

    Substitutions

    • Pasta: Orzo can be replaced by other small kinds of pasta including mini farfalle, macaroni elbows, or pastini.
    • Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes can be replaced by baby plum tomatoes and grape tomatoes. Try mixing red, orange, and golden tomatoes.
    • Beans: Chickpeas can be switched out for another mild white bean such as navy beans or cannellini beans.

    Dietary needs

    • Vegan: This pesto orzo pasta recipe can easily be made vegan by using dairy-free/vegan pesto. Traditionally, pesto contains parmesan cheese, but there are many vegan options available.
    • Gluten-free: This can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free orzo pasta.
    Pesto Orzo Salad.

    Equipment

    This is an easy recipe to make that requires basic kitchen equipment.

    • Pot to boil the pasta
    • Colander to drain the pasta
    • Large mixing bowl to mix the pesto pasta salad

    Storage

    Pesto orzo salad can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Wait to add the fresh basil until ready to serve. Freezing is not recommended.

    📖 Recipe

    Pesto Orzo Salad.
    Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved! Email Print

    Pesto Orzo Salad

    This pesto orzo salad is delicious and refreshing, perfect for that end-of-summer cookout. This recipe is beautifully herby and creamy.
    5 from 1 vote
    Recipe by: Kelsey Smith
    Prep time: 5 minutes
    Cook time: 10 minutes
    Total time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings

    Equipment

    • Large pot
    • Colander
    • Large mixing bowl

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cup orzo uncooked
    • ½ cup red onion diced
    • 1-½ cup cherry tomatoes halved
    • 1 medium English cucumber diced
    • 15 oz chickpeas drained and rinsed
    • 5 tablespoon pesto
    • Fresh basil to garnish

    Instructions
     

    • Cook the orzo according to the package instructions. Be sure to salt the water. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
    • In a large bowl, mix together the cooked orzo and the remaining ingredients until well combined and coated in the pesto.
    • Garnish with fresh basil leaves and enjoy.

    Notes

    Servings: Makes 4 full-size servings or 6 side dish servings.
    Storage: Can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Wait to add the fresh basil until ready to serve. Freezing is not recommended.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 335kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 12gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 482mgPotassium: 499mgFiber: 7gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 773IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 99mgIron: 3mg
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: pasta, pesto, vegetarian
    Tried this recipe?Rate it to let me know how it was!

    Frequently asked questions

    What is pesto?

    Pesto is a sauce traditionally made with basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan or pecorino cheese, and olive oil.

    Is orzo a type of rice?

    No, orzo is not a type of rice. Orzo is a type of pasta.

    Pesto orzo pasta.Pesto orzo pasta.

    More Sides & Snacks

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    • Bisquick Banana Muffins
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    • Bacon Aioli

    About Kelsey Smith

    I am a freelance content writer for college-level textbooks by day, mommy by night, and a blogger in between. I live in Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband, Xavier. When I'm not working on college textbooks, you might find me here, sharing recipes, social media tutorials, and more.

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    Photo of Kelsey Smith

    Hi, I'm Kelsey! I am a freelance content writer for college-level textbooks by day, mommy by night, and a blogger in between. I live in Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband, Xavier. When I'm not working, you might find me here, sharing easy comfort food recipes.

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