Summer Orzo Salad with Basil Pesto and Goat Cheese

Grab These Ingredients 

Here are the simple ingredients for this Summer Orzo Salad recipe. Most are pantry staples and easy (and affordable) to find in grocery stores. Jump down to the printable recipe card for exact measurements.

Basil Pesto

• Basil: If you don’t have fresh basil on hand or prefer arugula, give this arugula pesto a try.
• Pine nuts: Raw cashews work as well
• Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice gives a nice tang
• Garlic: Using fresh garlic cloves is best to give this dish plenty of garlic flavor. Add more or less to taste.
• Olive oil: You can also use avocado oil.
• Kosher salt: If you don’t have kosher salt, you can substitute with sea salt or pink Himalayan salt.

Pasta Salad

• Orzo pasta: We like Dellalo gluten-free orzo, but any orzo or short-grain pasta will work.
• Cherry tomatoes: grape tomatoes or small diced tomatoes work as well.
• Red onion: Gives the salad a nice crunch.
• Bell peppers: Use yellow, orange, or red peppers to add some extra color. Follow these tips for the best way to dice a bell pepper.
• Summer corn: Grilled or steamed fresh corn works best, but you can use canned works in a pinch.
• Goat cheese: Use crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese.
• Arugula: Has a delicious peppery flavor that’s a nice compliment to the pesto. Substitute with spinach or escarole.

Recipe Variations

There are lots of ideas on how to switch up this salad depending on what’s in your pantry or how you like your pasta salads:

• Add your favorite vegetables: English cucumber or regular cucumbers, grilled summer squash, zucchini, snap peas, or sweet onion.
• Opt out of orzo: Use any short pasta, whole wheat pasta, couscous, farro, or even quinoa.
• Pack on the protein: Add grilled chicken, steak, salmon, or garbanzo beans for extra protein.
• Swap in a homemade Italian dressing: Like this herb vinaigrette made with red wine vinaigrette, a drizzle of olive oil, fresh herbs, honey, and dijon.
• Make it a Greek orzo salad: Top it with a zingy Greek dressing of lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano, dijon, garlic, salt, and pepper. Top with feta, tomato slices, kalamata olives, and garbanzo beans.

Add 1 1/2 cups of uncooked orzo pasta to a large pot of salted water. Make the orzo pasta according to the package directions. 

Drain the orzo and allow it to cool while you prep the rest of the ingredients. 

Add all of the basil pesto ingredients to the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender. Pulse for 2-3 seconds until the pesto is smooth and no chunks remain. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Chop and slice the tomatoes, onion, and bell peppers.

Transfer the orzo to a large bowl and mix it with half of the pesto. Add the remaining ingredients and the rest of the pesto and toss again to coat everything in the pesto. Top with fresh basil if desired.

Pasta Cooking Tips

Follow these quick tips for delicious, restaurant-quality pasta every time:

• Use a large pot of salted water to boil the orzo. Starchy, salty pasta water evenly seasons the noodles. Use a tablespoon of kosher salt, table salt, or sea salt for every gallon of water, no matter the type of pasta.
• You can run a little cold water over the pasta to stop it from cooking while it rests in the strainer. (The only time you should rinse your pasta is when you’re serving it cold.)
• If you want to cook the pasta al dente, check it 2-3 minutes short of the pasta cooking time. It should be tender pasta with a firm bite and a fleck of white when you bite into the center. 

Making This Ahead

Here’s the key: hold the pesto and goat cheese until right before serving. The orzo and vegetable base can be made up to two days ahead, but the pesto will dull and the goat cheese will get grainy if they sit too long. Combine everything about 30 minutes before you want to eat.

This makes it ideal for meal prep. Cook the orzo on Sunday and you’ve got lunches ready all week. Just keep the components separate until it’s time to eat.

What to Serve with Summer Orzo Salad

Serve this salad either underneath or as one of the side dishes for this easy blackened chicken or blackened salmon. 

Since this is the perfect summer bbq dish, why not fire up the grill and serve a simple and delicious grilled protein to go with it? Follow our tips for the best grilled chicken thighs, ribeye, and burgers. And what’s a summer dinner party without some juicy watermelon? We also have some tips for how to easily cut a watermelon into cubes of any size.

Storing Tips

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.