Orzo Pesto Salad

This Mediterranean-inspired Orzo Pesto Salad combines orzo pasta with vibrant basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, feta, artichokes, and olives. Whether served as a light lunch or a flavorful side dish, this salad is a simple yet satisfying way to enjoy fresh, wholesome ingredients.

The star of this pesto salad is the orzo-a small, rice-shaped pasta that soaks up all the flavors. We use our homemade roasted garlic pesto for the dressing, but you can swap it for your favorite store-bought version.

Not only is this salad good, but it's also incredibly easy to make and suited to meal prep (it gets even more flavorful as it sits). It can be served chilled or at room temperature, making it an excellent choice for picnics, barbecues, lunches, or a family-style brunch spread.

What you will need

The ingredients are simple and easy to find, and you won't need fancy equipment.

Ingredients for orzo pasta salad on a wooden board.

Orzo An oval rice-shaped pasta commonly used in Mediterranean dishes. It's found in the pasta section of most grocery stores.
Feta cheese If you can, look for a whole block of feta rather than buying crumbled feta. The taste is worlds apart.
Artichokes we use marinated artichokes in a jar, and then we drain the liquid. We think it adds another layer of flavor.
Olives Kalamata olives are our go-to, but use your favorite olives here. buy them pitted to make your life easier.
Tomatoes Summer cherry tomatoes are best, but grape tomatoes will also work.
Pesto An easy-to-make sauce made of fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil, typically served with pasta. We use our roasted garlic pesto but feel free to use your own or a store-bought version.
Salt & pepper for seasoning
Lemon juice Brightens up the pesto.
Olive oil we use this to loosen up the pesto and tie all the flavors together.

Step-by-step instructions

If you can boil water, then you can make pasta salad! It's as easy as tossing cooked orzo with all your ingredients.

Boil the orzo until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain well.

Ingredients in a bowl for orzo pasta salad.

Add the orzo to a large bowl, along with all of the ingredients, and toss to mix. Season with additional salt, pepper, lemon, or olive oil as needed.

For a pop of color, top with fresh basil right before serving.

Expert tips

Salt your pasta water for extra flavor and follow the directions on your package for solid al-dente pasta (pasta that is cooked firm but still has a tender bite).

Mix it up

Feel free to use this recipe as a guide. Pasta salads are versatile; you can create any combo of ingredients. If you add more veggies, add a little more pesto, and taste for seasoning

Don't have orzo? No worries- you can use any type of pasta you prefer. We personally love fun shapes such as tortellinibow ties (farfalle), or gemelli. You could also make this into a rice or grain salad (think couscous or farro).
Sneak in more veggies. Try adding roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, bell peppers pickled red onions or spinach. For a deeper flavor, try roasting the veggies first before adding them to the salad.
Looking for extra protein? Toss in some drained beans such as chickpeas or cannelloni beans.
Instead of feta, you can use any cheese you want. We love using mozzarella pearls (tiny mozzarella balls) or crumbled goat cheese. Shaved parmesan would also be a great addition.
Try this red pepper pesto instead of the traditional basil version.
If you are a carnivore like us, toss in some diced ham or prosciutto or even cooked cubed chicken.
For added texture, top with chopped toasted pistachiossliced almonds or pine nuts. If adding nuts, add them before serving so that the nuts retain their crunch.

Close up of orzo pesto salad with cherry tomatoes on the side.

Serving suggestions

Pasta salads are traditionally served chilled or at room temperature, but you can also serve them warm. Bonus, if you serve it warm the feta becomes all melty and good!

While you certainly can eat an entire bowl for a single meal, it pairs incredibly well with a hearty sandwich or salad. Don't forget to wash it down with a refreshing soda or summertime beverage.

Keeping leftovers

Orzo pesto salad can be stored for 3-5 days in the fridge. It actually gets better as it sits. When taking it out of the fridge to serve, we recommend drizzling it with extra-virgin olive oil and an additional splash of lemon (the ingredients will sop up all the pesto as it sits, so it usually needs a little extra to loosen it up).

Angled view of pesto salad with pesto and tomatoes with a fork next to it.

Kitchen questions

Can we make this salad in advance?

Yes! In fact, it tastes even better as it sits. drizzle a little olive oil or lemon juice on it to loosen up the pesto before serving (the salad will absorb the pesto as it sits, so it may need a fresh toss).

So many flavors to choose from!