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Home » Recipes » Salads

Pesto Orzo Salad

Published: Jan 5, 2023 by Claire · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases · Leave a Comment

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This pesto orzo salad is packed with healthy ingredients, has so much flavor and comes together in less than 20 minutes! Enjoy as a side salad with BBQ food, or for summer picnics or holiday celebrations.

Try my artichoke pesto pasta or my chicken salad without mayonnaise for another tasty lunch or dinner idea!

pesto orzo salad on a white plate next to red apples, basil leaves and a jar of pesto.

Whether it's for a summer BBQ, picnic or potluck, or a holiday celebration, this vegan pesto orzo salad (also known as pesto risoni salad!) is a perfect side salad to enjoy! Quick and easy to make, it has all the delicious herby flavor of pesto combined with fresh fruits and vegetables. Kid and adult friendly too!

Love an easy side salad? Then I think you will want to see my roasted vegetable pasta salad and my mango cucumber salad too!

And if orzo is your favorite, have a peek at my vegetable orzo soup for a cozy lunch!

Jump to:
  • ⭐ Why this recipe is so good
  • 🥬 Ingredients
  • 📖 Swaps and variations
  • 💭 Ideas for add-ins and toppings
  • 🔪 Step by step instructions
  • 💭 Recipe tips and notes
  • 📋 Frequently asked questions
  • 🥗 More tasty salads
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

⭐ Why this recipe is so good

Full of tasty pesto flavor! Pesto is an easy and very tasty way to add so much flavor, and that includes to a pasta salad.

Fresh fruits and veggies. We use light and crisp apple, cucumber and radish to make this orzo salad a little lighter than typical pasta salads.

Quick and easy pasta salad. It takes around 20 minutes to come together, and with fridge and pantry staples.

🥬 Ingredients

individually labelled ingredients to make pesto orzo salad including apple, radish, cucumber and basil.

All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.

Some notes on a few of them:

  • Orzo pasta (also known as risoni) - the small pasta (known as pastina) that resembles a large grain of rice. If you are gluten free, there is quinoa orzo pasta as a swap for regular wheat pasta.
  • Pesto - you can use a favorite pesto recipe, or there is a recipe set out in the recipe card below.
  • Apple - use fresh unblemished produce for the best flavor. Red apples will give a sweeter flavor, while green apple has a more tart taste if that's what you like!

📖 Swaps and variations

Swap orzo pasta for another small pasta. Pasta types such as macaroni, ditalini or fusilli pasta are all options. And I talk about even more in my easy orzo substitutes post!

Use pesto of your choice. For a vegan and nut free option you may like to see my dairy-free pumpkin seed pesto and for a different flavor, my lemon balm pesto is so tasty! And have a peek at my substitutes for pine nuts in pesto post for more ideas to make your own!

Add a squeeze of lemon juice. If citrus works for you, a squeeze will give a nice zing to your salad!

💭 Ideas for add-ins and toppings

Give your basil pesto orzo pasta salad even more flavor with these ideas:

  • Add a sprinkle of pine nuts, unsalted pistachios or pumpkin seeds for extra crunch.
  • Stir in a fresh cheese such as mozzarella balls or goat cheese.
  • Make it more of a main dish by adding fresh chicken or turkey.
  • Use (or swap in) other vegetables such as tomatoes or avocado if they work for you, or grated carrot or celery.
  • Add even more basil leaves or other herbs such as cilantro, parsley or lemon balm.

🔪 Step by step instructions

It's very easy to make this orzo pesto salad, with just a few steps:

pesto in a glass jar labelled number one.
orzo pasta in a pan on a stove top labelled number two.

Step 1

Make the pesto. If you are making your own pesto sauce (image 1), combine the ingredients in a blender or use a pestle and mortar. Blend, then adjust to taste with more basil or extra virgin olive oil to preference.

Step 2

Cook the orzo. Follow packet instructions to cook your orzo pasta, adding a pinch of salt to the pan (image 2). Rinse in cold water in a fine mesh sieve to cool.

orzo pasta, cucumber, radish, shallot, arugula and pesto in a light brown bowl labelled number three.

Step 3

Make your pesto pasta salad. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl (image 3) and stir well so the pesto coats all the orzo and other ingredients. Season with salt and black pepper, and garnish with a few basil leaves.

💭 Recipe tips and notes

  • Use a fork to separate the orzo pasta if required. A touch of olive oil also helps separate the 'grains'.
  • Any pesto can be used, with the suggested recipe being suitable for a vegan and low histamine diet (if pine nuts are tolerated - swap for pumpkin seeds if not).
  • Dice the fruit and vegetables into fairly small pieces to go along with the orzo.
  • Adjust the amount of pesto used to taste preference.
  • Swap orzo for other small pasta if you prefer, such as macaroni.

📋 Frequently asked questions

Can I make this pesto orzo salad a vegan recipe?

Yes, simply use a vegan pesto such as my pumpkin seed pesto or my macadamia nut pesto which are both made without dairy.

How do I stop the orzo becoming mushy?

I suggest rinsing in cold water to stop the cooking process, give it a stir-through with a fork and adding a tiny drizzle of olive oil to help separate the 'grains' of pasta.

Do I have to use homemade pesto?

Nope! If you have a favorite pesto from the store that's good too!

Can I heat this orzo salad?

I don't recommend it as we are using fresh and light fruits and vegetables that don't lend themselves well to cooking. See my ricotta pesto pasta or my coriander pesto pasta for hot dinner options made with pesto!

pesto orzo salad on a white plate with a silver spoon on it.

🥗 More tasty salads

Enjoy tasty salads for BBQs, potlucks or as sides for an evening meal, including my popular cucumber beet salad and my refreshing pak choi salad. Some recent salads to try out:

  • carrot and apple salad in a bowl with a serving spoon next to apples and a small bowl of pomegranate arils.
    Carrot and Apple Salad with Pomegranate
  • chicken pesto pasta salad in a white bowl next to fresh basil leaves, radishes and salad servers.
    Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
  • roasted beet and carrot salad on a white plate.
    Beet and Carrot Salad
  • cucumber celery salad on a white plate next to fresh mint leaves and olive oil.
    Cucumber Celery Salad

I'm always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And I love to hear from you - so please do leave a ⭐ star rating ⭐ if you've tried the recipe!

📖 Recipe

pesto orzo salad on a white plate next to red apples and a cream striped cloth.

Pesto Orzo Salad

Claire
This pesto orzo salad is full of flavor, packed with healthy ingredients and perfect as a side salad for summer BBQs, picnics and holiday recipes.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 7 minutes mins
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Total Time 19 minutes mins
Course BBQ food, Lunch, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, British
Servings 6 servings
Calories 296 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz orzo pasta
  • 2-3 tablespoon pesto
  • ½ shallot finely diced
  • 4 radishes sliced
  • ⅓ English cucumber sliced
  • 1 small apple cored, diced
  • handful arugula

To garnish

  • basil leaves

Suggested pesto recipe

  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • 1 cup basil leaves
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • Cook the orzo pasta according to packet instructions, adding a pinch of water to the pan. Drain in a fine mesh sieve and rinse with cold water.
  • If you are making your own pesto, you can do so while the pasta is cooking. Combine the ingredients in a blender (or use a pestle and mortar), and blend to a thick pesto. Adjust with more olive oil or apple cider vinegar to taste.
  • Dice the fruit and vegetables into small pieces.
  • Combine orzo pasta, sliced fruit and vegetables and pesto in a bowl. Stir to combine so all the pasta is coated in the pesto. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Notes

  • Use a fork to separate the orzo pasta if required. A touch of olive oil also helps separate the 'grains'.
  • Any pesto can be used, with the suggested recipe being suitable for a vegan and low histamine diet (if pine nuts are tolerated - swap for pumpkin seeds if not).
  • Dice the fruit and vegetables into fairly small pieces to go along with the orzo.
  • Adjust the amount of pesto used to taste preference.
  • Swap orzo for other small pasta if you prefer, such as macaroni.
  • If citrus works for you, add a squeeze of lemon juice.
  • Please note that nutritional information is an estimate, and auto-generated.
 
Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance
All ingredients score 0 on the SIGHI list, with the exception of:
  • orzo (wheat), which scores 1 and has a ? as a liberator.
  • pine nuts, shallot and arugula aren't rated.
  • garlic and apple cider vinegar, which score 1.

Nutrition

Calories: 296kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 6gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 0.4mgSodium: 51mgPotassium: 197mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 345IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @lowhistaminekitchen or tag #lowhistaminekitchen!
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Hi, I’m Claire. After a diagnosis of MCAS I began to follow a low histamine diet, which has helped me manage my symptoms. Here I hope to show that a restrictive diet can still be full of flavourful meals, and help you enjoy being creative in the kitchen.

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Please see my disclaimer. I am not a doctor or healthcare professional. All posts are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical or dietetic advice in any way.

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