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–+ servings
Mediterranean flavoured orzo salad in a bowl
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5 from 2 votes

Orzo Pasta Salad

This Orzo Pasta Salad is fresh, healthy, and flavorful, easy to put together, and perfect for making ahead.
Prep Time12 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Turkish
Diet: Halal, Low Lactose, Vegetarian
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 353kcal
Author: Ayla Clulee

Equipment

  • 1 kitchen scale
  • 1 Sharp knife
  • 1 measuring spoons
  • 1 Citrus zester

Ingredients

For the Salad

  • 1 cup orzo
  • ¼ cup pine nuts (lightly toasted)
  • ¼ cup sultanas
  • 2 tablespoon capers (roughly chopped)
  • 3 oz sun dried tomatoes (80 grams)
  • ½ cup peppers (diced)
  • 1 small red onion (diced)
  • 1 cup radishes (sliced)
  • 1 tablespoon wild garlic pesto
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Dressing

  • 1 juice and zest of lemon
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon parsley (finely chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon dill (finely chopped)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the Orzo Pasta

  • Place a pan filled with water + salt on medium heat and bring it to a boil.
  • Add your orzo pasta and cook it for nine minutes (or as long as it is stated on the packaging). You can cook a couple of more minutes if you don't like your orzo al dente. 
  • Drain the orzo and cool it down under running cold water to stop it from cooking any further. This step is necessary to prevent orzo from getting too soft and soggy.
  • Set it aside to drain any extra moisture, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking together.

Prepare the Ingredients

  • Peel and dice the red onion.
  • Deseed and dice the peppers the same size as the onions.
  • Trim the tops and tips of the radishes and slice them finely.
  • Roughly chop the sun-dried tomatoes and capers.
  • Lightly toast the pine nuts for intensifying the flavor.
  • Wash, dry, and finely chop the herbs.
  • Zest and juice one lemon.

Build the Salad

  • Place the cooked & cooled orzo pasta in a large bowl.
  • Toss in the pesto and seasoning, and mix well until all combined.
  • Add the diced peppers, onions, sliced radishes, chopped capers, sun-dried tomatoes and herbs, lemon juice&zest, olive oil, pine nuts, and sultanas to the orzo.
  • Mix all together gently with two forks until all nicely combined.

Notes

  • You can use cooked whole grain rice if you want to make this salad gluten-free.
  • Let your orzo pasta cool down before adding the vegetables and herbs. 
  • Season the cooking water with a generous amount of salt to avoid blend-tasting salad.
  • Don't forget to rinse the pasta under running cold water immediately after cooking it to avoid it getting sticky and lopsided. 
  • Use the best and freshest ingredients you can possibly get. 
  • Always use extra virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice for the dressing.

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 0.3mg | Sodium: 478mg | Potassium: 1124mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 524IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 4mg