This easy and delicious Orzo Pesto Salad takes just 15 minutes to make. Tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil pesto bring Caprese inspired flavors. Perfect for quick weeknight dinners, meal prep lunches, or a make ahead vegetarian side salad.
Cook orzo and peas: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add orzo and cook until al dente, according to the package directions. Then, add the frozen peas to the pot of orzo and cook for 1 minute longer. Drain and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds.
Prep pesto dressing: Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together pesto and lemon juice until smooth.
Combine: Add the drained orzo and peas to the pesto dressing. Toss until well coated. Season with salt, and pepper (to taste). Add in the bocconcini, spinach, tomatoes, and onion. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
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Notes
Bocconcini: We use mini bocconcini and tear each ball in half, so there's more pieces of cheese scattered throughout the salad. But, you could keep them whole if you prefer. You can substitute larger ball(s) of bocconcini instead of mini...just tear them into bite sized pieces before using. You'll want 1 cup of cheese for this recipe. Measure after draining from the liquid.
Storage tips: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Yield: Makes 11 cups. Nutritional estimate assumes 5 servings (as a main).