This delicious pesto orzo salad is made with orzo pasta, flavorful fresh basil pesto, grilled shrimp, delicious vegetables and juicy cherry tomatoes. It makes a fabulous light meal that comes together easily in just 30 minutes.
If you love orzo pasta, be sure to also check out this orzo shrimp scampi recipe!
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Ingredient notes & substitutions:
- You can substitute store-bought pesto for the basil, the cheese, the nuts, the garlic and the salt, if you like.
- Olive oil – You'll need part of the oil to make the homemade pesto and part of it to brush on the shrimp.
- Cherry tomatoes – Rather than adding the tomatoes raw, they are grilled to intensify their flavor. Along with the kalamata olives, the grilled tomatoes add enough acidity for this salad so that there is no need for lemon juice or vinegar.
- Parmesan cheese – You can substitute Pecorino, if you like.
- Olives – You have to use kalamata olives here because their acidity is needed in this recipe.
- Ground sumac - If you don't have sumac on hand, you can leave it out. We like to use it because of its delicious citrusy flavor and also because of its health benefits. (For more delicious ideas for how to use sumac, also check out this Italian chicken rub!)
- Artichoke hearts – You can use either marinated or small and tender canned artichoke hearts for this recipe. If you use canned ones, be sure to remove any tough and woody outer leaves.
- Orzo – If orzo is not available, you can make this pesto salad with other cuts of pasta. Any short cut pasta (such as orecchiette) will work well. You can also use small pasta shells.
How to make it:
See full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below!
Step 1. Cook orzo pasta al dente in a large pot of salted water. Drain and rinse briefly under cold water, then set aside.
Step 2. Finely chop the basil leaves, then mix them with olive oil, cheese, pine nuts, garlic and salt.
Step 3. Stir the pasta into the pesto.
Step 4. Roughly chop artichoke hearts and olives, then stir them in.
Step 5. Skewer shrimp and cherry tomatoes, then brush the shrimp with olive oil and sprinkle with sumac. Grill on a grill or a grill pan. Cut shrimp into bite-sized pieces and stir into the salad along with the grilled tomatoes.
Should I serve the salad warm or cold?
You can serve this salad as a warm or a cold pasta salad. I personally like it best when it's slightly above room temperature.
How to store leftovers:
You can store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for a up to a day. Gently heat it up in the microwave to slightly above room temperature before serving.
What goes well with pesto orzo salad?
Pesto orzo salad is excellent by itself and makes a delicious light meal. But if you want to, you can serve it as a side along with grilled meats or fish.
More delicious salads:
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating or comment! Thanks!
Full Printable Recipe
Pesto Orzo Salad
Equipment:
- measuring cups and spoons
- knife and cutting board
- garlic press (optional)
- pot
- colander
- mixing bowl
- rubber spatula
- skewers
- pastry brush
- grill or grill pan
Ingredients:
For the pasta:
- ½ cup orzo pasta, uncooked
For the pesto:*
- 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 packed tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese**
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts, roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic press
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the shrimp and the vegetables:
- 5 kalamata olives
- 2 artichoke hearts (small and tender canned or marinated)
- 5 ounces large, extra large or jumbo raw shrimp, thawed, peeled and deveined
- 10 cherry tomatoes
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon ground sumac***
Instructions:
For the pasta:
- Cook the orzo pasta according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water, then set aside.
For the pesto:
- Finely chop the basil leaves, then mix them with the oil, the cheese, the nuts, the garlic and the salt.
- Mix the orzo pasta into the pesto. Set aside.
For the shrimp and the vegetables:
- Roughly chop the olives and the artichoke hearts and mix into the salad.
- Thread the shrimp and the cherry tomatoes onto skewers. Brush the shrimp with the olive oil, then sprinkle them with the sumac.
- Grill on a grill or on a grill pan until the shrimp are cooked through and the tomatoes burst open (4 to 5 minutes on each side).
- Slide shrimp and tomatoes off the skewers, then cut the shrimp into bite-sized pieces. Mix the shrimp along with the tomatoes into the salad. Season to taste with salt. Serve slightly above room temperature.
Notes:
Nutrition Information (Estimated):
Nutrition values provided on this website are generated from a nutrition database and are estimates only. The accuracy of the nutrition information for any recipe on this website is not guaranteed. Nutrition values can vary quite a lot depending on which brands are used.
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