Sundried Tomato Orzo Salad – Easy Pasta Salad ~ Macheesmo

I’m always surprised more people aren’t using orzo, so here’s my latest request to get you to buy and make some of what’s quickly becoming one of my favorite pasta shapes. I like it because it’s flexible enough to be served with sauce like spaghetti, but also works great in pasta salads, like this Sundried Tomato Orzo Salad.

I once googled “how many noodles are there?” and got an answer of 350 noodles. That seems a bit short to me. I feel like I only have so many pasta options at my local grocery store these days! The point is that if you just stick with your normal few favorites, you’re likely to miss out.

This is a quick recipe, but the flavors are BIG. The key to making it work is finding the jars of sun dried tomatoes in oil and using the tomatoes AND the oil in the jar for the pesto.

What is orzo and how is it prepared?

Some people think that orzo is a grain because of its shape, but it’s a pure pasta. That means it’s not gluten-free, in case your guests ask.

Like all pasta, orzo is best cooked in salted, boiling water. It cooks very quickly and is ready in 6-8 minutes. I recommend testing the orzo for doneness and if it’s just a little bite (al dente) draining the orzo and rinsing it with water to stop the cooking. You can also toss it with some olive oil to keep it from sticking.

Orzo is one of my favorite pastas for salads (although I’ve made a few orzo mistakes over the years). However, I’ve had more successes than failures like this stuffed orzo squash or my eggplant orzo casserole.

Which sun-dried tomatoes are good?

A few different types of sun-dried tomatoes are available in most stores today. I would NOT use the packaged sundried tomatoes for this recipe. Instead, make sure you get the sun-dried tomatoes that are pickled in a jar and wrapped in oil.

You can either use the whole tomatoes (and dice them) or sometimes find pre-diced tomatoes in oil. Both options are fine.

The benefit of using these sun dried tomatoes in a jar is that you can use the oil and the tomatoes!

Sundried Tomato Orzo Salad Instructions

Once you’ve cooked the orzo, save some pasta water and then drain and rinse the pasta to stop the cooking.

Meanwhile, the pesto for it is embarrassingly simple. Grab an 8 oz. Jar of the sundried tomatoes in oil and place the entire jar (plus oil) in a food processor with the nuts, garlic and lemon juice.

Pulse that and you’re in business!

Stir in the sun-dried tomato pesto with the orzo. If it seems dry at all, add 1/4 cup reserved pasta water until smooth. The sauce should barely cover the pasta.

Then fold in some fresh baby rocket. This works best when the noodles aren’t hot, as this will just completely collapse the arugula. Room temperature is good.

Don’t forget Parma. Much Parma!

Season that thing with salt and pepper to your liking and you’re in business. It makes a great savory side dish or weeknight lunch!

The pasta itself is very easy to store. One tip though…if you plan on keeping it longer than a day or two I would recommend NOT adding the arugula until you are ready to eat it as it will just become wilted and sad.

If you’re like me you love a good pasta salad and especially an orzo pasta salad! This one checks all the boxes!

Substitutions and Ideas

You can prepare this salad in many different ways!

• Add other vegetables. Peas are a good idea along with herbs like fresh parsley.
• Instead of a pesto, use a simple vinaigrette dressing made with Dijon mustard, shallot, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.
• Add more protein to orzo salad with grilled chicken or sausage

Tips for storing this Sun Dried Tomato Orzo Salad

This orzo salad keeps really well for a simple lunch. It keeps well in the fridge for up to a week. If you use the baby arugula in the salad, I recommend keeping it separate. It will wilt if you keep it in the salad.

Orzo salad with sundried tomatoes

More delicious recipes to try!