Mediterranean Risoni Salad with Pesto (Orzo Salad)

5 from 1 vote

Easy pasta salad made with those little pasta shapes called risoni or orzo. Lots of pesto and tomatoes make this salad extra tasty.

Prep Time15

Cook Time12

Total Time27

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean

Servings:

Calories: 347kcal

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoon fresh pesto see below for pesto ingredients if you want to make your own.

In a food processor, whizz up the pine nuts and garlic
1 clove garlic, 30 g Pine Nuts
Add the basil leaves (make sure they are dry!), nutritional yeast and whizz for a second.
Salt to taste, 25 g nutritional yeast, 50 g fresh basil leaves
With the blade turning, add in the olive oil until it becomes a thick paste.
3 tbsp olive oil

Add the pesto, lemon juice and olive oil and mix to combine.
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 4 tbsp fresh pesto, 1 tbsp olive oil

Boil water and cook the orzo/risoni as per instructions.
225 g orzo pasta
Meanwhile, in a dry frying pan, toast the pine nuts. Be sure not to let them burn as they will colour up very quickly.
50 g pine nuts
Finely chop the spring onions and pepper. Cut the cherry tomatoes in two or four, depending on how large they are. You want everything to be small to combine nicely together.
1 red pepper, 100 g spring onions (scallions) , 200 g cherry tomatoes
Once the orzo/risoni is cooked, drain and refresh it in cold water. Drain again and add a little olive oil to stop it cooking.
225 g orzo pasta
Now toss all the salad ingredients with the pesto dressing. Garnish with more tomatoes and basil leaves if desired!