Looking for a simple, yet flavor-packed pasta salad that can be served hot or cold? This Orzo Pesto Salad is vibrant and fresh, easy to make, and comes together in under 30 minutes!
Plus, this orzo pasta salad is easy to prep, and perfect to bring along to a potluck or picnic, because it’s delicious served hot, cold, or even room temperature! And just like my top-rated Rainbow Orzo Salad, this is a total crowd-pleaser!
As a busy mom who appreciates gourmet flavors, I love a simple recipe that brings bold and vibrant taste and color without too much effort!
In this post you will learn how to perfectly cook orzo, how to roast tomatoes, and how to put a delicious pesto-based pasta salad together with just 7 ingredients!
Orzo Pesto Salad Ingredients
Here’s everything you need:
- Orzo pasta. The teeny tiny pasta that makes the pesto to pasta ratio extra delicious in this pasta salad.
- Pesto. You can buy it ready-made or make your own homemade pesto.
- Grape tomatoes. Or cherry tomatoes, to add tons of flavor and vibrance.
- Mozzarella pearls. These are already bite-sized and easy to mix in as is. Alternatively, you can hand-slice fresh mozzarella into bite-sized mozzarella pearls.
- Salt, pepper, & olive oil. To roast the tomatoes in to enhance their flavor.
Orzo Vs. Rice
Though it is rice-shaped, orzo is technically pasta! Each grain of pasta is as small as a grain of rice, but cooks, tastes, and has the same texture as pasta.
Orzo Pesto Salad Tips and Tricks
How to Perfectly Cook Orzo
Orzo is prepared just like pasta and should be cooked al dente for the best bite. For perfect orzo, bring about 3 cups of water to a rolling boil before adding one cup of your uncooked orzo.
Boil the orzo and water for 8-10 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally so that the orzo does not stick to the bottom of the pot or to each other.
After 8 minutes, test a noodle to see if it’s ready. If not, give it another 2 minutes maximum. Once it’s perfectly al dente, strain the orzo.
It’s best to toss the orzo with the pesto immediately, before it has a chance to stick together. As soon as you’ve strained the orzo, add it to a large bowl and stir in the pesto.
Keep in mind the orzo noodles are small, so make sure the holes in your colander are small enough to contain the orzo. You may want to use a sieve.
How to Prep Grape Tomatoes
After rinsing your grape (or cherry) tomatoes, all you have to do is slice them in half lengthwise.
When it comes to slicing tomatoes, if your knife isn’t extremely sharp, then it’s probably best to use a serrated knife or a tomato knife to more easily pierce the skin.
Season Your Grape Tomatoes Before Roasting
Add the prepped grape tomatoes to a baking sheet and spread them out. For less cleanup, you can opt to line the baking tray with aluminum foil.
Then, drizzle the olive oil on top and sprinkle on the salt and pepper.
Toss to Evenly Coat
Use clean hands to toss the tomatoes in the oil, salt, and pepper. I find that this is the easiest way to ensure they are all evenly coated.
If you’re not a fan of getting your hands dirty, you can use tongs or two large forks to toss everything together instead. Then, spread the coated tomatoes out in a single layer, ensuring none are not stacked on top of one another.
Roast the tomatoes at 425°F for 10-15 minutes until the skin starts to wrinkle.
Mix All Your Ingredients Together
Once your tomatoes are ready, add the mozzarella pearls and roasted grape tomatoes to the pesto orzo and mix to combine.
The hope is that the cheese and tomatoes are evenly distributed so you can get all of the flavors and textures in each and every bite.
Serving Your Pesto Orzo Salad
One of my favorite things about this orzo pasta salad is that it’s super no-fuss and versatile in terms of serving temperature. It’s delicious freshly made and hot, at room temperature (making it perfect for on-the-go!), and it’s even delicious cold right out of the refrigerator.
It brings tons of bold flavor and can be served as a meal all on its own, but if you want to add a protein, here are some of my favorites:
How to Store Your Orzo Pesto Salad
Leftover Orzo Pesto Salad will last up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.
You can eat leftovers cold right out of the fridge! If you do freeze leftovers, make sure to allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
25-Minute Orzo Pesto Salad
SAVE RECIPE TO COLLECTION PIN PRINT RATEIngredients
- 1 cup orzo (uncooked)
- ⅓ cup pesto
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and bring 3 cups of water to a rolling boil in a medium-sized pot.
- Once the water is boiling, add the orzo and cook al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Strain the orzo and add it to a large bowl. Add the pesto right away and stir to coat, so the orzo doesn't stick together.1 cup orzo, ⅓ cup pesto
- Meanwhile, rinse and slice the grape tomatoes in half lengthwise.
- Add the prepped tomatoes to a baking sheet and add the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to evenly coat.
- Roast the tomatoes for 10-15 minutes until the skin starts to wrinkle.
- Add the roasted cherry tomatoes and mozzarella pearls to the pesto-coated orzo and stir to combine. Serve hot or cold!
Pro Tips
- Watch your tomatoes closely—burnt tomatoes can taste really bitter. If you do burn your tomatoes, consider tossing them in a little bit of honey or maple syrup to balance out that bitterness.
