Pesto Orzo Pasta Salad
This Pesto Orzo Pasta Salad is a beautiful welcome to warmer weather. If you use store bought pesto it’s super simple, but if you use homemade it really makes it something special. Just toss a handful of simple ingredients together with a pesto vinaigrette and you’re set. It's a great side dish for a summer bbq or a delicious vegetarian main.
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Servings: 6 as a side
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups orzo
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes quartered
- 16 oz cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 8 oz fontina cheese cubed
- 2 cups baby arugula
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ½ cup basil pesto
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo to al-dente (usually a minute or two shy of package directions). Drain and rinse with cold water to cool it down and stop the cooking.
- Make the pesto vinaigrette. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the pesto, red wine vinegar, and kosher salt. Then, while whisking constantly, pour in the extra virgin olive oil in a slow steady stream until emulsified.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Add the orzo, tomatoes, beans, onion, cheese, and arugula to a big mixing bowl. Pour over the pesto vinaigrette and toss to combine.
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Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 547kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 1059mg | Potassium: 320mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1306IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 317mg | Iron: 3mg