The orzo in this salad has a pine-needle-like texture, and the pesto dressing gives it a wonderful green color. Cherry tomatoes, basil and pepperoni ribbons, and perlini mozzarella balls all end up as decorations. I don’t use salt because the pepperoni and pesto are salty enough, in my opinion. Slices of red onion, black olives, and sliced green bell pepper are some toppings to think about. Lemon juice was added because I dislike balsamic vinegar.
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Cook Time: | 20 mins |
| Additional Time: | 8 hrs |
| Total Time: | 8 hrs 35 mins |
| Servings: | 8 |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked orzo pasta
- ⅓ cup pesto, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice (Optional)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese balls or pearls
- ¼ cup sliced pepperoni, cut into strips
- 3 large fresh basil leaves, julienned
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
- Add pesto and lemon juice to the orzo; toss to coat. Mix in tomatoes, mozzarella cheese balls, and pepperoni strips. Refrigerate for 8 hours to overnight.
- Mix in basil right before serving.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 331 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 44 g |
| Cholesterol | 20 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Protein | 15 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4 g |
| Sodium | 289 mg |
| Sugars | 3 g |
| Fat | 11 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
Just not enough taste for me. I followed the receipt, it was very colorful and looked nice on the dinner plate but I love balsamic vinegar so I would try again.