An absolutely delicious orzo pasta salad, a perfect side dish for any time of the year. Packed with olives, feta, cannellini beans and topped with perfectly roasted cherry tomatoes. Easily customizable with what you have in the cupboard and finished with a zingy salad dressing that you can use on any salad you make.
Hi! Can I tell you a secret? I have never been a fan of a pasta salad. I want my pasta HOT with a mountain of parmesan melting perfectly on top. BUT I know in the warmer months a pasta salad is so much fresher plus a great thing to take to a summer bbq or picnic. So that being said I thought if I can make a pasta salad that I want to eat, it must be pretty good!
I have filled this easy pasta salad with all my favorite things, crunch from the toasted pine nuts, a salty hit from the olives and feta and a flavor punch from the roasted cherry tomatoes. Like in my Easy Roast Tomato Sauce, roasting tomatoes brings out SO much flavor. The juices melting into the orzo is magical.
Main Ingredients
Orzo pasta - I think orzo, also known as risoni is such a wonderful shape for a pasta salad. You can definitely substitute for whatever short pasta shape you prefer.
Cherry tomatoes - If at all possible try and find some still on the vine but anything will do! If you don't want to roast them you could substitute for ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes.
Pine nuts - These are toasted first for extra flavor. Substitute for walnuts, almonds, pistachios or any other nut you love!
Olives - I have used Kalamata olives, use anything as long as you pit them first.
Arugula - I think this salad benefits from a fresh element and arugula holds up well in a salad like this. Substitute for baby spinach.
Feta - There is no substitute for this, use a whole milk feta or a sheep or goats feta.
Cannellini beans - These are optional but I think they have a lovely texture and bulk the salad up slightly.
Fresh herbs - I have used lots of fresh basil as I think it goes with the tomatoes so well. Tear and add at the last moment. You could use fresh parsley as well or a combination.
Red onion - I like to slice it really finely with a mandolin but a fine dice will also be great.
The salad dressing
I think this is the perfect dressing for any salad so a great recipe to have up your sleeve! It's a combination of extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, white wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar), honey and dijon mustard.
How to make this orzo pasta salad
The full ingredient list and full step by step instructions are in the recipe card below.
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ONE: Combine all the dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake well to combine. It will keep well in the fridge.
TWO: Arrange the tomatoes in an even layer, drizzle with the olive oil and minced garlic and roast.
THREE: Boil the orzo according to package directions, you can undercook it slightly to make sure it is al dente and not mushy! Drain well and mix with some of the dressing then allow to cool.
FOUR: Combine all the salad ingredients and dressing in a large bowl then arrange on whatever serving dish you are using and top with the tomatoes.
Expert tips
- Boil the orzo in well salted water. As I outline in my guide on How to Cook Perfect Pasta, salting your water is the one chance to season the actual pasta.
- Dress when still warm. Drain your pasta really well and toss it with two tablespoons of the dressing. Transfer into a flat dish to cool down to room temperature before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Make ahead. If you are taking this to a cook out or any gathering then make it ahead even the day before but keep basil seperate and add when serving.
- Add some protein. Turn this into a well rounded meal with some chicken, fish or lamb. Check out how to cook the perfect chicken breast in my Creamy Chicken Pasta recipe.
- Customize! You can throw anything into a pasta salad like this, as the dressing will go with anything. Some sliced bell peppers, goats cheese or chickpeas can all be subbed in! A drizzle of balsamic glaze on top would work so well with the juicy tomatoes.
Another must make side dish
My delicious crispy smashed potatoes with brown butter are so incredible!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! I actually think it is better the next day. I like to keep the basil seperate as it can get a touch soggy. Get it out of the fridge 20 minutes or so before serving and give it a little toss, sprinkle the basil over and a drizzle of olive oil to freshen it up.
This will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 - 3 days.
Absolutely, a great vegetarian main dish. If you are a meat eater and want to make it a more rounded meal then add your protein of choice, some fish, sliced chicken or lamb would be lovely. You could buy a rotisserie chicken to make it super easy.
Some other recipes to try
If you loved this orzo salad recipe then make sure you head to my recipe section to pick your next dish! Here are a few suggestions.
Did you make this recipe?
I would LOVE it if you could leave a review and star rating down below. Also please tag me on Instagram if you share a photo of the dish!
Recipe
Orzo Pasta Salad
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Ingredients
For the dressing
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (plus the zest for topping)
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey (or maple syrup)
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
For the roast cherry tomatoes
- 400 grams cherry tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- salt and pepper
For the salad
- 250 grams orzo pasta (also called risoni)
- 1 cup kalamata olives roughly chopped or halved
- 150 grams feta cut into small cubes or crumbled
- 1 400g can cannellini beans rinsed and drained
- ⅓ cup red onion thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup pine nuts toasted
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 cup basil torn
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350f (180c).
- Cut any bigger cherry tomatoes in half and keep smaller ones whole. Prick the end of a knife into the whole ones if you don't want them to burst.
- Mix the olive oil and garlic in a bowl and toss the tomatoes in it.
- Spread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast in the oven (top third) for 30 - 40 mins until they are golden around the edges and have shrunk down a lot.
- While roasting, prepare the rest of the salad. Firstly combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well until emulsified. Set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to boil, salt it well then add the orzo and cook according to package instructions. Drain really well then toss with 2 tablespoons of the dressing and transfer to a flat dish to cool to room temp.
- Once orzo is room temp, toss with the rest of the salad ingredients and the remaining dressing.
- Arrange on a large serving platter and top with the roasted cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and some grated lemon zest. I tend to mix in half of the basil and top with the rest.
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