Bright, flavorful orzo pasta salad, packed with summer's freshest and best ingredients: chopped arugula and radicchio, basil, garlic, olives, sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts and parmesan cheese.
Why are so many pasta salads underwhelming? Because there's nothing delicious about cold noodles and mayonnaise, even if you throw in some chopped veggies.
A truly great pasta salad is a rare commodity. When I discovered this one (nearly 20 years ago), it became my instant favorite and has been my go-to summer pasta salad ever since.
A big bowl of this colorful orzo pasta salad on the buffet table is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
How to make the best orzo pasta salad
Once you've chopped everything, this recipe comes together fast.
- Cook and drain a pound of orzo pasta. Toss it immediately, while it's still hot, with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, chopped sun dried tomatoes and chopped Kalamata olives. The hot orzo will soak in all the wonderful flavors as it cools.
- Once the orzo is cool, toss it with the rest of the pasta salad ingredients: chopped radicchio, arugula, basil, toasted pine nuts and parmesan cheese.
- For maximum flavor, serve this dish at room temperature.
Everyone can use a great pasta salad recipe for summer or really for any time of year. This one is the best!
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this pasta salad with almost anything grilled. Aleppo Pepper Chicken and Grilled Swordfish Steaks Salad Verde go beautifully with this salad, as does this simple lemony grilled Chicken Paillard and this Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce.
Out-of-This-World Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe
- Total Time: 47 mins
- Yield: 12-14 1x
Description
A vibrant, flavor-packed orzo pasta salad that's perfect for picnics, parties and backyard barbecues.
Adapted from a recipe in Bon Appetit (1998)
Ingredients
- 1 pound orzo pasta
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ⅔ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (from a jar of drained, oil-packed sun dried tomatoes)
- ⅔ cup chopped, pitted Kalamata olives
- 5 teaspoons finely minced garlic (3-4 large cloves)
- 1 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1 head of radicchio, cored and roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 ½ cups chopped arugula (about 3 ounces)
- 1 cup (loosely-packed) chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup (about 5 ounces) good quality freshly-grated parmigiana cheese, such as Parmigiana Reggiano
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta al dente (firm to the bite) in a pot of boiling water with teaspoon of salt. Drain orzo, transfer it to a large bowl, and immediately toss it, while it's hot, with the oil (6 tablespoons), balsamic (6 tablespoons), sun-dried tomatoes (⅔ cup), olives (⅔ cup) and garlic (5 teaspoons). Set pasta aside to cool for 20-30 minutes before proceeding to step 2. Or cover and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours, and bring to room temperature before proceeding.
- Once the pasta comes to room temperature, toss it with the rest of the ingredients: pine nuts (1 cup), radicchio (2 cups), arugula (1 ½ cups), basil (1 cup) and parmesan (1 cup). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.
- This pasta salad will keep for several days in the fridge but it's at its best the day you make it, when the basil is bright green and the lettuces are crisp.
Notes
[This post first appeared on Panning The Globe in July 2013. It was updated in April 2020 with new photos, added nutritional information, clarifying details in the written post and clearer instructions in the recipe.]
- Prep Time: 40 mins
- Cook Time: 7 mins
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: Out of this World
Keywords: orzo pasta salad, best pasta salad, favorite pasta salad
Bridget
Do you use feta cheese? It looks like it from the picture, but maybe that is just the parmesan. Love the recipe btw, delicious and it goes with everything.
★★★★★
Joe
Thank you Lisa! This is an exceptional recipe and one of the best salads I’ve had. I remember this recipe from Bon Appétit but lost it many years ago and I am so happy to have found it here
★★★★★
Ben Walton
I made this recipe with an hour to spare before a friend's birthday barbecue last weekend...
IT WENT DOWN A STORM!
I've been messaged since and asked for the recipe - so safe to say I'll be making this one again. What a delicious and easy recipe. Amazing work!
★★★★★
Lisa
I'm SO HAPPY to hear the Pasta Salad was a big hit! Thank you for letting me know!!
Carolol
I made this last night. I had forgotten how good it is!
★★★★★
Lisa
Isn't it the best?! Thanks for reminding me that I need to make it again soon. And thank you for coming back to leave a star rating and a comment. Much appreciated. xx
Jodi Loughlin
I am excited to make this tomorrow! Do you think you could substitute raw pumpkin seeds for the pine nuts? My husband has a nut allergy. I was at a ladies golf tournament last summer with a woman raving about your Aleppo Pepper Chicken recipe. I have made it a bunch of time (always a big hit). This is my first time sitting down to go through your blog. I am so impressed and excited for some summer cooking!
Lisa
Hi Jodi, yes I bet pumpkin seeds would be good or sunflower seeds. But I suggesting that you toast them for extra flavor. I hope you enjoy!
Ann
Not a fan of Olives -can they be left out - or is there a substitute.
Lisa
Hi Ann. You can leave the olives out. The pasta will still be delicious. If you like sun-dried tomatoes you can double up on those in place of the olives or just omit the olives. I hope you enjoy!
Nic
I hate pasta salad but this one is light and refreshing, not mayonaisey and heavy like other pasta salads. Two thumbs up from me!
★★★★★
bonnie greenspoon
can I make this 1 day in advance?
Lisa
Hi Bonnie, Yes you can but even better would be to mix all the dry ingredients together the day before and then mix with the dressing an hour or two before serving.
Sarah
This is an amazing salad! Excellent use of radicchio. I made it last night to go along with the Aleppo chicken - it was outstanding! Your recipes are absolutely well worth the time, even if it means running around town to different grocery stores to find ingredients. I also want to add that your lasagna recipe is a keeper! Thank you!! Your website makes me excited about cooking!
★★★★★
Lisa
Hahah. You are too funny, Sarah, and very kind. Sorry you had to run all over town to get ingredients. I'm so happy to know it was worth the time and that you're enjoying the food. You've made my day with your comment. Thank you.
allie
I love pine nuts Lisa. What a great salad, colorful and full of flavor! I jut planted my basil yesterday. Perfect side for all the summer barbecues coming!
Lisa
Thanks Allie! I'm excited about fresh herbs and summer barbecues too!
laura@motherwouldknow
I know the salad is gorgeous and healthy, but what really gets me is the radicchio. Am I the only person in the world who adores it? Anyway, it's tough to find recipes that use it well and this one looks like a winner. Love your explanation for your "out of this world" recipes too:) - so perfect for your blog.
Lisa
Thanks Laura! I adore radicchio too - it's bitter but in a great spicy way, and I love the texture.
nina
Perfect with grilled meat! Love
★★★★★
Deb Perugi
Marge, there are gluten free pastas that are quite good at the grocery store now. Many not be the type listed in the recipe, but would also be delicious.
Margie Perse
For reasons it's sometimes hard to remember, we are now trying to go gluten free. What do you think about making it with brown rice?
Margie
Lisa Goldfinger
Margie, I bet it would be really good with rice. It might work with brown rice, though my instinct would be to use white long grain rice. Rinse it really well so you get rid of all the starch - which helps keep the grains separate. If you try it with rice - brown or white - I would love to know how it turns out.
Marian Dioguardi
How beautiful! And you can't go wrong with pine nuts.
Layne
Actually you can if they're designed for consumption, so make sure they're not imported from Asia.
jen
YUM!!! Can't wait to make!