Orzo Pesto Pasta Salad
A light, fresh and herby orzo pasta salad with pesto, feta and tomatoes that won't leave you feeling heavy.
Servings 4 people
Calories 370kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup Orzo/Risoni pasta, uncooked
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive oil
- ¼ cup Pesto Sauce (homemade or storebought)
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, cut sliced into half
- 1 small Red Onion diced
- ¼ cup Feta, crumbled
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
- ¼ cup Chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the orzo/risoni pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Be careful not to overcook, as the orzo will continue to cook slightly as it cools down.
- While the orzo/risoni is cooking, prepare the vegetables by chopping the cherry tomatoes, red onion and basil. Crumble the feta with your hands into small pieces.
- Drain the cooked orzo/risoni pasta and rinse it under cold water in a colander until it's cooled. This will stop the cooking process and ensure your salad has the perfect pasta texture.
- In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled orzo/risoni, oil, pesto, chopped vegetables, feta cheese, salt, pepper, and basil. Gently toss everything together until the ingredients are evenly distributed and coated in the pesto sauce.
- You can serve this salad immediately, or allow it to chill in the refrigerator for an hour or more to allow the flavors to fully meld together.
Notes
Add Chicken: Toss through pieces of shredded rotisserie chicken for a quick dinner or lunch. This works very well for preparing make ahead meals as it keeps for for 3 days in the fridge
Add Chickpeas: drain and rinse a can of chickpeas instead of or in addition to the chicken.
Double Batch: Double the ingredients and get 8 servings, perfect for eating straight away and having lots of leftovers.
Storage: To store cooked orzo pasta, let it cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-5 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g
