Description
Fresh, flavorful, and incredibly easy to make, this Pesto Orzo Salad with Sundried Tomatoes is packed with Mediterranean-inspired ingredients like pesto, chickpeas, feta, cucumber, arugula, and tangy sun-dried tomatoes. Perfect for meal prep, potlucks, summer gatherings, or a light lunch, this vibrant pasta salad comes together in minutes and tastes even better after chilling.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 oz orzo pasta (about 1 cup uncooked)
- 3 heaping tablespoons pesto
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cucumber, diced
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
- ⅓ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup arugula
- 1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2–3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the orzo according to package instructions until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, dice the cucumber and chop the parsley.
- Drain the orzo and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled orzo, pesto, olive oil, cucumber, sun-dried tomatoes, feta, arugula, chickpeas, parsley, and lemon juice.
- Toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately or chill for 1 hour before serving for even better flavor.
Notes
- For extra flavor, add 1 tablespoon of the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Substitute dairy-free pesto and feta for a vegan version.
- This salad tastes even better after a few hours in the refrigerator.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg