This vibrant pesto orzo salad is loaded with fresh veggies and big flavor. With punchy basil pesto, creamy feta, juicy cherry tomatoes, briny olives and earthy artichokes, it comes together in a bout 35 minutes and keeps well for daaays! Perfect for meal prep, weekday lunches or light dinners. This recipe is vegetarian.
A Veggie Packed Orzo Salad and a Good Mouth Party
This vibrant salad is bursting with flavor—garlicky, fresh, and bright with lemon. It’s hearty enough to enjoy for lunch or dinner and makes a generous batch, perfect for meal prep, potlucks, or feeding a small crowd.
Make this recipe with Spinach Basil Pesto (in the photos) for a milder basil flavor, or try Lemon Basil Pesto for a more intense basil taste. Either are delicious in this recipe.
This Recipe Is
- garlicky
- punchy flavor forward
- lemony
If you like prep ahead salads and making homemade salads for dinner, you’ll enjoy this texture rich orzo pesto salad.
Standout Ingredients
- Orzo Pasta – slightly larger than rice, it’s shape is oval, and ideal for pasta salads. I also use it in this Geek Inspired Orzo Pasta Salad.
- Basil Pesto – garlicky, salty, lemony and with the fresh flavor of basil, the pesto acts as the dressing, coating everything, spreading its flavor throughout.
- Artichoke Hearts – mild, nutty and tender, artichoke hearts add bulk, texture and earthy flavor. Enjoy with canned artichoke hearts, or you can use marinated, just be sure to rinse them throughly.
- Feta Cheese – salty, creamy and crumbly, this sharp cheese adds tangy flavor. Look for a combination of sheep and goat milk feta. It’s creamier than cows milk feta.
I tested this recipe with both feta and mozzarella cheese and preferred flavor forward salty feta in this.
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How to Make Orzo Pesto Pasta Salad
Step by Step
In this recipe, we’re toasting the orzo to boost its nutty flavor—a quick step that adds depth. A technique also applied to this reader favorite Lemon Garlic Orzo with Roasted Veggies. Cooking it in veggie broth instead of water packs in even more flavor.
Traci’s Tips
- Spicy: add a touch of spice! All you need is 1/8 (1/4 for extra) teaspoon of pepper flakes to add a little heat to the salad. Just sprinkle it into your pesto before mixing it into the orzo.
- Make Ahead: If you’re planning ahead and will be refrigerating the pasta salad before serving, pull it from the refrigerator and rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This helps the fats soften and offers a smoother mouth feel.
- Make it Vegan: with a few easy swaps, you can make this pesto orzo salad dairy free. Simply enjoy with vegan pesto (try my vegan option Lemon Basil Pesto) and dairy free feta cheese.
Mediterranean Inspired Pesto Orzo Pasta Salad
Servings:7 1 1/2 cup servings
Calories:361kcal
This vibrant pesto orzo salad is loaded with fresh veggies and big flavor—perfect for meal prep or sharing. With its punchy basil pesto, creamy feta, juicy cherry tomatoes, briny olives, and earthy artichokes, it comes together in about 35 minutes and keeps well for daaays! This recipe is vegetarian.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 cup (180 grams) Orzo Pasta
- 1 3/4 cups (410 grams) Low Sodium Vegetable Broth
- 2/3 cup (180 grams) Spinach Basil Pesto or Lemon Basil Pesto
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/4 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt + more to taste
- 1 pint (460 grams) Cherry Tomatoes sliced in half
- 14 ounces (400 grams) Artichoke Hearts drained, chopped into bite size pieces, about 2 cups or 1 can.
- 3/4 cup (130 grams) Kalamata Olives sliced in half
- 1/2 cup (35 grams) Green Onions white and green parts chopped thin, about 2 stalks
- 2 cups (85 grams) Fresh Spinach packed, and chopped
- 3/4 cup (100 grams) Feta Cheese crumbled
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste
- Fresh Basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Cook the Orzo
- In a large high sided saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the orzo and stir coating the orzo throughly. Allow the orzo to toast, stirring occasionally on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, adjusting the heat down as needed so the orzo doesn't burn. It should be golden and fragrant.
- Pour in the veggie broth. Be careful here because the broth will spit and sputter. Bring to a simmer, turn down the heat to low, cover and cook for 13-15 minutes or until all the broth is absorbed and the orzo is tender. While cooking, stir a few times to prevent sticking, if any.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Place in the refrigerator to cool for 10 minutes.
Assemble the Salad
- Remove the orzo from the refrigerator. It should still be slightly warm and will be sticky. To the orzo, add the pesto, lemon juice, and salt. Stir and toss to coat the orzo. To the mixture add the tomatoes, artichoke, olives, green onion, spinach and feta. Add a few twists of freshly ground black pepper. Toss.Taste for salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Adjust to taste. Garnish with fresh basil if using and share chilled or at room temperature.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my Greek Orzo Pasta Salad.
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 1011mg | Potassium: 303mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2729IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 2mg
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Our family loved this recipe.
Love hearing this, Barbara! Thank you for your note and giving the salad a go!