Orzo pasta salad with basil butter, peppers, and tomatoes is a complete enjoyment for your taste buds.
This delightful summer salad mixes orzo pasta, fresh basil butter, and crisp summer vegetables. Your family and friends will surely love this orzo pasta recipe.
The first time I made this dish, I fell in love with the first bite.
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This orzo pasta salad recipe is a fantastic side to practically every meal.
An excellent addition to any pool party, potluck, picnic, and barbeque.
It is also hearty enough to stand alone as refreshing lunch or light dinner.
In this Article
- Subscribe to Cooking Canva!
- Why you will love this recipe
- What is orzo pasta made of?
- How to prepare orzo
- Here are a few helpful tips for the ingredients needed to make this orzo pasta recipe
- Equipment needed
- Cooking tips and step-by-step instructions to create this excellent orzo pasta with basil butter, peppers, and tomato recipe
- Recipe variations
- What to serve with your orzo pasta salad?
- Storage
- What to do with the leftover basil butter?
- If you enjoy this delicious orzo pasta salad recipe, look at my other recipes.
- Orzo Pasta Salad with Basil Butter, Peppers, Tomatoes
Why you will love this recipe
This orzo pasta is loaded with seasoning. Fresh basil butter, garlic, lemon zest, and juice add a hint of flavor. The butter melts, leaving behind perfectly fresh pasta.
You can make a bright, crispy salad with pasta, bell peppers, tomatoes, arugula, and green olives. It will be rich in texture and flavor.
The orzo pasta salad can be made beforehand, making it an excellent option for stress-free summertime meals.
Orzo pasta is not only easy to prepare but very versatile. It can be prepared and enjoyed at room temperature or hot.
In this recipe, the basil butter gives the pasta a great flavor. The garlic has just a tiny hint, and all the flavors blend well with the lemon zest.
What is orzo pasta made of?
Orzo pasta looks like rice but is made from whole grain, semolina, or white flour.
The shape resembles a grain of rice and cooks relatively quickly. Idyllic for cold pasta dishes and often found alongside vegetables and mainly served as a side dish.
How to prepare orzo
The easiest way to prepare it is like all pasta: cook it in salted water.
The timing of cooking depends on the manufacturer.
Here are a few helpful tips for the ingredients needed to make this orzo pasta recipe
This is a quick introduction. Please read the recipe for complete instructions.
Unsalted butter: gives you complete control of the flavor in your recipe. This allows the natural taste of your food to shine through.
Fresh basil: Bright green Italian basil with no blemishes.
Garlic clove: grated allows all the oils to come out and infuse the butter at a new level. Do not skip this step. Meanwhile, when grated, the garlic is broken down, leaving behind all the essential oils.
Mixing a garlic clove whole in the food processor would completely change the taste. It would be much more intense as it would never be finely chopped.
Zest of a whole lemon: Brings freshness to this dish.
Orzo pasta: You will love how easy it is to cook with it.
Cherry tomatoes: Smaller and so much easier to enjoy.
Bell peppers: Yellow, orange, or red is my favorite. Select a bell pepper that has a firm outer skin.
Assorted pitted olives: The vital key is pitted. Select your favorite.
Fresh parsley: bring your Mediterranean orzo pasta to a new level.
Arugula salad will not wilt when in contact with the warm orzo.
Equipment needed
I only recommend what I use and love.
Food processor: to aid you with making basil butter, a vital component of this beautiful dish.
Cooking pan: for your orzo pasta
Zester: for your lemon zest
Large bowl: mix and serve your orzo pasta
Cooking tips and step-by-step instructions to create this excellent orzo pasta with basil butter, peppers, and tomato recipe
As with all recipes, have all your ingredients ready before you start cooking.
Start by making the basil butter.
- Place the fresh basil, unsalted butter, grated garlic, and the zest of lemon in the bowl of your food processor. Your basil will be finely chopped.
While the butter absorbs all the flavors,
- In a large pot bring to a boil salted water then proceed to prepare the pasta according to the manufacturer’s packaging to al dente.
Meanwhile, prepare all the rest of the vegetables
- Clean and slice the bell peppers
- Haf the cherry tomatoes
- chop the fresh parsley
- rinse the arugula salad
Assembling your dish
- Place your pasta into a salad bowl and toss it with the basil butter. The butter will melt.
- Add all the other ingredients mix well, and serve.
Recipe variations
The possibilities are endless. With the abundance of summer vegetables in stores and markets, you can have a lot of fun creating your version quickly.
Create a Mediterranean orzo pasta salad by adding the following:
- Fresh cucumbers sliced or cubed add a touch of freshness.
- Sweet roasted corn freshly removed from the husk.
- Thinly sliced red onions.
- Fresh herbs such as dill, mint, and oregano.
- Add a cup pine nuts roasted to bring out the amazing flavor of the basil butter.
Craving Greek orzo pasta salad?
- Add some creamy feta cheese to bring some saltiness to this pasta salad.
- Kalamata olives
- A dash of extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice
- Sliced radicchio salad will play well with the pungent of the arugula.
- And a small handful of dried oregano if you do not have a fresh one.
Add some hot red pepper flakes to kick it.
Grilled chicken, cut up into small pieces, is an excellent addition to bringing protein to this dish.
Shrimp will be a perfect protein addition to this easy salad. You may want to squeeze some fresh lemon over it too. Great flavor, and just like that, you have a new salad to enjoy.
I purposely omitted salt and pepper as each ingredient brings flavor to this Mediterranean orzo salad. Please season as you wish after you taste it.
What to serve with your orzo pasta salad?
Grilled or roasted chicken is a great combination,
Salmon or any oven-baked fish is another option for your salad recipe with orzo pasta.
Storage
Store your cooled orzo in an air-tight glass container.
Please bring it back to room temperature and enjoy. There is no need to reheat it.
What to do with the leftover basil butter?
You will have some basil butter leftover that you can freeze or enjoy with chicken, fish, or steak, literally with everything.
Added to your sauteed shrimps at the last minute to create a new sauce which works beautifully with pasta. Ensure that you melt the basil butter over medium heat.
If you enjoy this delicious orzo pasta salad recipe, look at my other recipes.
Burrata Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes and Fettuccine
Just have fun with it and play with the flavors.
Equipment needed to prepare this fantastic pasta salad with orzo
Orzo Pasta Salad with Basil Butter, Peppers, Tomatoes
Ingredients
FOR BASIL BUTTER
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons basil, leaves
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- zest of a whole lemon
FOR ORZO PASTA
- 2 cups orzo pasta, cooked in boiling salted water to al dente
- .50 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup bell peppers, cut into strips
- ½ cup assorted olives, preferably pitted under oil
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
- 1 cup arugula salad
Instructions
- Put all the basil butter ingredients in the food processor. Pulse until everything is blended. The basil should be well chopped and evenly mixed into the butter.
- Toss the cooked orzo with ½ to ¾ of the basil butter, depending on how buttery you like it. Add the remaining ingredients and garnish with arugula.
- Serve hot or room temperature.
Nutrition
Cooking Canva provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
- Course: Pasta, Rice & Grains, Salads, Dinners, Sides, Vegetables
- Cuisine: American
- Season: Summer
- Type: Under 45 minutes
Did you make this?
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Enriqueta E Lemoine
First of all, this is my first here, and I must say: I’m absolutely in love with your blogging and cooking style. With that said, now let me tell you about this salad. I love orzo, basil, and everything in between. This is my kind of recipe, my kind of salad but what i love the most is your wonderful basil butter. You have a new fan.
Teana Allen
Thank you so much for your kind words, I am so happy you also enjoyed one of my recipes, thank you for making it.
Bon Appetit!
Hayley Dhanecha
This orzo basil peppers salad was so good! Light and refreshing, packed with summer flavours. Can’t wait to make it again before summer days are over.
Teana Allen
Wonderful, Enjoy!
Amy
What a great combo of flavors and ingredients in this orzo salad. All are my favorites. I served this at my book club and it was a hit!
Teana Allen
Thank you! So happy everyone enjoyed it.
Claire
This pasta salad was so deliciously fresh and summery! It’s definitely earned a permanent spot in our dinner sides rotation.
Teana Allen
Wonderful! Thank youa and enjoy!
Dennis
I made your salad to go with my grilled chicken last night, and it was the perfect compliment to the chicken. I loved the basil butter with the orzo!
Teana Allen
Thank you!
Kathryn
This orzo pasta salad was delicious. So light, refreshing and simple. Made a great summer lunch 🙂
Teana Allen
I am so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for your feedback.
Veronika
The basil butter was soo good! We served the salad with roasted chicken and veggies and it disappeared almost immediately!
Teana Allen
Wonderful! I am so pleased you enjoyed it.
Katie Crenshaw
Forget eating out! This pasta salad is incredible!!! My family loved every bite. The arugula added the perfect extra flavor.
Teana Allen
Thank you for your kind feedback. I am so pleased everyone enjoyed it.
Mikayla
What a wonderful salad, we had a bit of the basil butter left and added some roasted garlic to it and used it on fresh hot french bread to go with our salad for dinner!
Teana Allen
That is wonderful! I am so pleased you enjoyed it.
Thank you your your feedback.
Sharon
The fresh flavors with the basil butter drizzled over top make this orzo salad a must for summertime dinner plans.
Teana Allen
Thank you and enjoy!
Sharina
Added sliced cucumbers to my orzo pasta salad and it turned out incredibly delicious and enjoyable. My new comfort food!
Teana Allen
Thank you and so happy you enjoyed it.
Rebecca
I made this twice this week – once to go with roast chicken for dinner, at your suggestion, and then again for lunch the next day. It’s so light and fresh tasting! I am going to make this all summer long.
Teana Allen
Wonderful! and so happy you enjoyed it.
Thank you!
Sara
SO GOOD. We absolutely loved this. Made some chicken to serve with it and it was perfect! Even my kids wanted seconds.
Teana Allen
That is wonderful to hear, thank you for sharing.
Enjoy!
Gina
This was so light and refreshing. I can see myself making this over and over this summer with different fresh produce!
Teana Allen
Enjoy!
Rosanna Stevens
This was a delicious Al fresco lunch! We added some feta and enjoyed it with a glass of rose
Teana Allen
That sounds wonderful.
Enjoy!