Orzo Pasta Salad with Avocado, Lime Pesto Dressing

Orzo – I love the way this tiny pasta shape mixes and mingles with other ingredients. Its great to add texture and chew in a different way than most pasta salads. There’s nothing better than the perfect side dish when it comes to a summer get together. I enjoy coming up with various side dishes that are fresh and new like this orzo salad. This pasta salad is light, fresh, flavourful and filled with veggies. Impress your vegan friends with this vibrant, nutritious salad with a zesty avocado and lime pesto dressing.

This easy orzo salad recipe is loaded with big flavours like tomatoes, asparagus, parsley, broccoli and tossed in a zesty creamy avocado pesto dressing. And I just love how versatile it is as a simple vegetarian lunch or side next to any protein of your choice for a quick and healthy dinner. It’s a big family favourite all year round, and I can’t wait for you to try it!

WHAT IS ORZO?

Orzo is actually a tiny, short-cut pasta, shaped like a large grain of rice but it is not rice. Orzo is traditionally made from wheat semolina flour or white flour but now a days you can find whole wheat and gluten-free versions as well!! You can find orzo in the pasta aisle of almost all major grocery stores.

Orzo pasta is super convenient to cook with because it cooks in about half the time that rice does, and you can eat it hot or cold. Cook orzo just as you would small pasta.  In order to make it that perfect chewy consistency without making it mushy, simply bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil, then add the dried orzo pasta. Boil it for roughly 8 to 10 minutes until it has a firm and chewy texture. You’ll want to keep stirring the tiny pasta so that it doesn’t stick together, but no need to add cooking oil to the pasta water, it will be fine with just the water and salt. Once you’ve tested the texture, drain the orzo in a colander.

You can use orzo like you would rice or in a variety of pasta dishes or substitute for pasta in this Pasta Fagioli Soup.

THE SALAD DRESSING

The dressing for this pasta salad is made using avocado, basil leaves, parsley, fresh lime juice, jalapeños, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper with a little water added to get the right consistency.

The creamy herby flavours with a slight chilli in the dressing goes perfectly with all the ingredients in the salad, making it quite addictive to eat. 

Don’t forget to season the dressing with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, adding a small quantity at a time and tasting as you go so that you don’t over season.

Helpful Tips and Tricks To make Orzo Salad

• To save some time, cook the orzo first, meanwhile, work on chopping the rest of the ingredients!
• Be careful not to overcook the orzo, you don’t want it mushy. A little al dente is perfect for this salad.
• Many pasta salad recipes require you to wait until the pasta is cold before you add the dressing. In this recipe it’s good if the orzo is still a little bit warm when you toss the salad together, this will help it absorb the flavours well.
• Chop the broccoli into small chunks. The smaller bites will distribute better in the pasta and will create the perfect texture.
• With parsley, use some of the stems, they pack huge flavour, it’s not just in the leaves.
• For best flavour, mix the orzo salad and allow it to rest for a few minutes so that the flavours will meld.
• This salad will last for up to 4 days in the fridge, just add the cucumber and rocket on the day you want to serve the salad as both these vegetables will leak water in the salad and become soggy. Store in an airtight container.

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Orzo Pasta Salad with Avocado and Lime Pesto Dressing

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 15 Minutes 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 4 voted )

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Ingredients

• 1 cup orzo
• 100g asparagus, cup into 2” pieces
• 100g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 75g tender-stem broccoli, chopped
• 1 cucumber, sliced
• 1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh or tinned
• 2-3 handful of rocket leaves
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped

For the Avocado Pesto Dressing

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/2 cup basil leaves, packed
• 1/4 cup parsley, packed
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 1 jalapeño, roughly chopped
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

method

1. Boil the orzo as per package directions or until al dente.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the asparagus and allow to boil until tender crisp, about 3-4 min. Add the chopped broccoli boil for a minute and switch off the gas.
3. Drain and immediately transfer asparagus and broccoli to ice water, let rest for a min and then drain well.
4. Prepare the avocado dressing - Add basil, parsley avocado, garlic, pine nuts, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a food processor and pulse for 30-40 seconds or until pesto is chopped. Add in the oil and process again until completely smooth. You may need to add 2 tbsp of water to get it to your desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl.
5. In a large bowl, toss together the cooked orzo, cucumbers, tomatoes, rocket leaves, asparagus, broccoli, and corn. Drizzle half the dressing over the salad, season with freshly ground black pepper, and toss to coat. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Did You Make This Recipe?

If you did, take a picture and tag me on Instagram at @poetryofspices!