Pesto Orzo Salad
There's something almost magical about a bowl of pesto orzo salad on a warm afternoon. It's the kind of dish that looks like you spent hours in the kitchen — bright green pesto clinging to tender pasta, pillowy chunks of fresh mozzarella, and bursts of sweet cherry tomatoes.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1.5 cups orzo pasta dry, uncooked
- 1.5 cups cherry or grape tomatoes halved or quartered
- 2 cups baby spinach roughly chopped or left whole
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella chopped into bite-sized chunks
For the Homemade Pesto:
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves packed
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- ¼ cup pine nuts toasted; sub walnuts or pepitas
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil plus more as needed
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice about 1 lemon
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated; omit for dairy-free
- ½ tsp salt adjust to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper adjust to taste
Instructions
- Group 1: Cook the Orzo1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 8–10 minutes.2. Drain the orzo and rinse briefly with cold water to stop cooking. Add the baby spinach directly to the warm drained orzo and stir — it will wilt from the residual heat. Set aside.Group 2: Toast the Pine Nuts3. While the orzo cooks, add the pine nuts to a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant. Watch closely — they burn fast. Remove from heat and spread on a plate to cool completely.Group 3: Make the Pesto4. Add the basil, garlic, and cooled pine nuts to a food processor. Pulse until broken down into a rough paste, scraping down the sides as needed.5. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto is smooth and pourable. Add the parmesan and pulse until fully combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.Group 4: Assemble the Salad6. Transfer the orzo and wilted spinach to a large mixing bowl. Add the cherry tomatoes, chopped mozzarella, and about ¾ of the pesto. Toss well to coat. If the salad looks dry, drizzle in 2–3 tablespoons of extra olive oil and toss again.7. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, stir in the reserved pesto, top with extra toasted pine nuts and fresh basil leaves.
Notes
- Make it ahead: This salad tastes even better the next day. Prepare it up to 24 hours in advance and hold back ¼ of the pesto to stir in just before serving.
- Pesto consistency: For a salad, your pesto should be on the thinner, pourable side. Add a little extra olive oil if it feels too thick to coat the pasta easily.
- Nut-free option: Substitute toasted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) for the pine nuts, or omit entirely and reduce olive oil by 1–2 tablespoons.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Let sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving and refresh with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Add a protein: Grilled chicken, shrimp, chickpeas, or white beans all make great additions to turn this into a full meal.