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pesto orzo salad recipe vegetarian side dishes for Christmas pasta salad or thanksgiving pasta side salad recipe meatless
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5 from 6 votes

Pesto Orzo with Mozzarella & Cherry Tomatoes

Orzo Pesto Salad is a delicious vegetarian side dish, perfect for a BBQ, cookout, or holiday party. A delicious, herby, and refreshing appetizer or side, it's a crowd-pleasing salad everyone will love.
Prep Time20 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Pasta, Salad
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 279kcal
Author: Kelly Jensen
Cost: $8

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Salad

  • 1 lb orzo gluten free if GF
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • 8 ounces small fresh mozzarella pearls
  • 1 cups fresh parsley chopped

For the Dressing

  • 1 cup fresh basil
  • 1 cup fresh spinach
  • 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
  • 1/3 cup walnuts
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar I used white balsamic
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil more if a thinner dressing is preferred
  • 1/4 teaspoon each Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Instructions

  • Cook orzo according to package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and add to a large mixing bowl.
  • Add all the pesto ingredients into a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth.
  • Add the halved cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, and the prepared dressing to the pasta. Toss well to combine, ensuring all the orzo is evenly coated.
  • Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. Drizzle a little extra olive oil and balsamic over the pasta salad right before serving.

Video

Notes

For a vegan version, use marinated cubed tofu instead of the mozzarella!  

Nutrition

Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 21mg | Potassium: 310mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1485IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg