This Pesto Orzo Salad is packed with cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, bocconcini and chargrilled capsicum then finished off with an easy pesto dressing.
If you are looking for a simple, fresh pasta salad then you can't go past my Pesto Orzo Salad. It's easy to throw together and would be the perfect side dish for your next cook-out or barbecue.
Full of summer flavours like ripe and juicy cherry tomatoes, with sweet little pops of baby bocconcini and mixed through a no fuss rocket pesto dressing. 
Ingredients you will need for this recipe
- risoni (orzo) pasta
- cherry tomatoes
- chargrilled (fire-roasted) capsicum (peppers)
- pine nuts
- lemon juice
- cherry bocconcini
- rocket pesto
- olive oil
- salt to taste
*Please see the recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions
How to make this recipe
- Combine the rocket pesto, lemon juice, and olive oil for the dressing and set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook the orzo (risoni) according to the packet directions then rinse and drain. Add olive oil to pasta and mix to coat.
- In a bowl, put cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, bocconcini, chargrilled capsicum, and pine nuts then mix to combine.
- Mix through dressing and serve.
My top tips for making this recipe
- Don't skip the part about adding olive oil to the pasta after it has been drained and rinsed or you run the risk of your pasta sticking together before you get the dressing on it.
- Any size bocconcini will do, just tear them into bite-sized pieces.
- I strongly recommend using homemade pesto for this (and all!) of my recipes. By all means you can use store-bought rocket pesto, but once you have made your own pesto you won't go back!
Serving suggestions and ideas for add-ins
- This pesto orzo salad could be served cold or at room temperature.
- You could substitute the packing oil from the chargrilled capsicum for some or all of the olive oil in the recipe if you like.
- Avocado would be a great addition.
- Basil pesto could be substituted for the rocket pesto if you would rather.
Other recipes you may enjoy
Parmesan and Chilli Angel Hair Pasta Salad - a fast and easy pasta salad packed with fresh chilli, coriander (cilantro) and lemon, and finished off with parmesan cheese.
Caprese Style Pasta Salad - the traditional taste of caprese salad, with an extra flavour boost from basil pesto and prosciutto.
Prawn (Shrimp) Salad with Avocado and Mango - prawns (shrimp), avocado, mango and feta, dressed with lemon and garlic - this is no ordinary salad!
Pesto Orzo Salad with Rocket (Arugula)
Ingredients
- 250 g orzo/risoni pasta 9 oz
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 400 g cherry tomatoes 14 oz - quartered
- 200 g cherry bocconcini 7 oz - torn into bite-sized pieces
- ⅓ cup chargrilled/woodfired capsicum/peppers drained, then chopped
- 2 tbsp pine nuts toasted
Dressing
- 1 tbsp rocket pesto
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1-2 tsp lemon juice to taste
- fine salt to taste
Instructions
- To make the dressing, combine the rocket pesto (1 tbsp), lemon juice (1-2 tsp - to taste), olive oil (1 tbsp), and salt to taste and set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook the orzo (250g/9oz) according to the packet directions, rinse and drain then stir through 1 tsp of olive oil.
- In a large bowl, put cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes (400g/14oz - quartered), cherry bocconcini (200g/7oz - torn into bite-sized pieces), chopped chargrilled capsicum (⅓ cup - drained), and toasted pine nuts (2 tbsp) then mix to combine.
- Mix through dressing and serve.
Notes
- Don't skip the part about adding olive oil to the pasta after it has been drained and rinsed or you run the risk of your pasta sticking together before you get the dressing on it.
- Any size bocconcini will do, just tear them into bite-sized pieces.
- I strongly recommend using homemade pesto for this (and all!) of my recipes. By all means use store-bought rocket pesto, but once you have made your own pesto you won't go back!
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