Orzo Pesto Salad
This Orzo Pesto Salad is the perfect summer pasta salad. Orzo tossed with pesto sauce, juicy cherry tomatoes, tangy Kalamata olives, and mozzarella cheese.
Servings: 4
Calories: 543kcal
Ingredients
- 8 ounces orzo pasta
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup kalamata olives (about 4 ½ ounces)
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese bocconcini or ciliegine preferred
- Small handful of fresh basil to garnish
- ½ cup pesto (4 ounces)
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Add orzo and cook according to package directions.
- While orzo is cooking, rinse cherry tomatoes and pat dry, then slice in half.
- Drain olives, and slice in half.
- If your mozzarella balls are larger than ½-inch in diameter, cut into small bite-sized pieces.
- Pull basil leaves off their stems, and stack together. Roll up into a tube, and slice into thin ribbons.
- Reserve ¼ cup of cooking liquid, then drain orzo when tender.
- Rinse well, then pour orzo into a large mixing bowl.
- Stir in pesto and extra cooking liquid (if needed to keep the sauce creamy).
- Stir in mozzarella, tomatoes, and olives.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a serving bowl or platter to serve, and garnish with basil.
Notes
Storage Tips:
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. We recommend waiting to garnish with the basil leaves until you are ready to serve, so that they stay fresh. If the pesto pasta sauce dries out a bit, toss it with a little more pesto before serving, or add a small amount of water or olive oil and stir. Expert Tips:
Don’t forget to salt your cooking water—it adds flavor to the pasta, which in turn improves the flavor of the entire dish.
Wondering why we reserve some of the cooking liquid before draining the pasta? That cooking liquid is packed with starch. It helps to build a creamy sauce around the pasta if the pesto alone is not enough.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. We recommend waiting to garnish with the basil leaves until you are ready to serve, so that they stay fresh. If the pesto pasta sauce dries out a bit, toss it with a little more pesto before serving, or add a small amount of water or olive oil and stir. Expert Tips:
Don’t forget to salt your cooking water—it adds flavor to the pasta, which in turn improves the flavor of the entire dish.
Wondering why we reserve some of the cooking liquid before draining the pasta? That cooking liquid is packed with starch. It helps to build a creamy sauce around the pasta if the pesto alone is not enough.
Nutrition
Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 802mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g
