Looking for the perfect fresh summer salad? Look no more: this pesto orzo pasta salad with broccoli is packed with amazing flavor, bright and crunchy ingredients and it is so incredibly easy to make. Makes for the ideal summer salad for potlucks, picnics, healthy lunches or as a side dish for BBQs. Use this 5-min homemade cashew pesto or store-bought pesto for an ultra-speedy meal; either way, everyone will love this recipe!
Summer is almost here, which means we will be craving all the nutrient-packed pasta salads! We love this fresh cilantro lime pasta salad for picnics and patio light dinners, but also this buffalo tortellini pasta salad for its amazing creamy dressing with a little kick.
And now this pesto orzo salad with broccoli will surely become another favorite: it is packed with fresh and vibrant pesto flavor and it has a good crunch, thanks to the broccoli. It is a perfect combination of this veggie pesto pasta and this broccoli crunch salad!
And if you have an extra 5 minutes, then making this orzo pasta salad using my cashew pesto sauce will be so worth your time. I use this homemade pesto recipe for easy pesto pasta meals, pesto vegetable sandwiches, pesto flatbread and so much more... it simply is the BEST!
This pasta salad recipe will make for the perfect versatile, simple salad for the spring and summer to serve at potlucks, BBQs, picnics, etc. Great as a full meal, or as a side dish with burgers and sandwiches, it is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
Let me know if you give it a try! ❤️
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❤️ Why you will love this recipe
- Easy, fast salad, especially if using store-bought pesto sauce.
- Very versatile, making the perfect customizable salad recipe
- Healthy and packed with veggies
- Packed with fresh summer flavors
- Perfect for meal-prep
- 100% vegan and dairy-free, and can easily be made gluten-free!
🗒 Ingredient notes (+ substitutions)
- Orzo: orzo is a tiny pasta that is just slightly bigger than rice. You can find it in the pasta aisle at the grocery store. If you cannot find it, then simply use any small pasta you can find.
- Broccoli: fresh bright green broccoli is best for this recipe as you will eat it almost raw, make sure to chop into small pieces.
- Pesto sauce: unless you are in a rush or are looking for an ultra-fast weeknight dinner, then I recommend making your own pesto following this cashew pesto recipe. It truly makes this orzo recipe flavorful and healthier (I find the store-bought pesto sauces too oily!). When I need to skip making the sauce myself, then I like using this vegan pesto from the brand Gotham Greens.
- Lemon juice: brightens up the salads and add more flavor. Make sure to use fresh juice from a real lemon, and not the bottled juice!
⭐️ Full list of ingredients down below in the recipe card!
📝 Variations
- Raw vs cooked broccoli: feel free to keep the broccoli completely raw if you love an extra crunch. I like mine slightly blanched, which lightens up both the flavor and texture.
- Protein-packed: add some chickpeas or other white beans, edamame, roasted tofu or tempeh, or even some vegan tofu feta cheese (a personal favorite with anything pesto!). You could also do half orzo + half quinoa for a healthy boost in plant-protein!
- Nut-free pesto orzo salad: you can make the pesto sauce using sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds, although you won't need as much compared to the cashews. So just start with a small handful and add more if needed.
- Gluten-free orzo pasta salad: this recipe is very easy to make gluten-free, simply use GF orzo! If you cannot find it, then use any GF pasta you like or even, use cooked rice instead.
- Veggie-packed: you can easily add more vegetables to this pasta salad depending on what you have and your preference! Cauliflower, red bell pepper, arugula, cooked sweet potato and cucumber are all great ideas.
🍽 How to make pesto broccoli orzo salad
Step 1: If making your own pesto, then start with that. I used this cashew pesto recipe.
Step 2: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the orzo until al dente. When there is about 1 min to go, then add the chopped broccoli to briefly blanch it. Then, drain and run cold water over it. This is optional, you can also keep the broccoli completely raw!
Step 3: Transfer the orzo and broccoli to a large mixing bowl, then add the chopped tomatoes, red onion and baby spinach.
Step 4: Add the pesto sauce (you can start with about ½ cup), the juice of half a lemon and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust the amount of pesto, lemon juice and salt to taste.
⭐️ Detailed recipe (+ video) down below in the recipe card!
💡 Helpful tips
- Cooking the broccoli: Make sure not to overcook the broccoli, you want to only briefly blanch it so it keeps a good crunch. You could also add the broccoli raw if you love raw broccoli crunchy salads!
- Onion flavor: if raw onion tastes too pungent for your taste, then you can cook it in a pan or even better, soak it in cold water for 5-10 minutes while prepping the other ingredients.
❗️ Storage tips
This orzo pasta salad is amazing for meal prep as it keeps well! Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Do not freeze this recipe!
🌱 More vegan summer salad you might like!
I hope you enjoy this pesto orzo broccoli pasta salad recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!
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📖 Recipe
Pesto Orzo Pasta Salad with Broccoli
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large mixing bowl (and mixing/serving spoons)
- Food processor (if making the homemade pesto recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry orzo - or about 2 cups of cooked orzo
- 4 cups broccoli - or about 2 small heads of broccoli
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes - halved
- ½ cup red onion - sliced or diced
- 2-3 cup baby spinach
- ½ cup pesto sauce - or enough to coat the orzo and veggies. I used this vegan cashew pesto sauce.
- 1 lemon - juiced
- salt and ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- If using homemade pesto sauce, then start by making it. I used this cashew pesto recipe.
- Clean and chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the dry orzo. Cook until al dente, stirring often. When the orzo is almost cooked (or when there are about 1-2 more minutes to go), stir in the chopped broccoli to briefly blanch it (do not overcook). Drain, run some cold water over and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- To the mixing bowl, add the halved tomatoes, chopped onion, spinach, pesto sauce and juice from ½-1 lemon. Stir until combined and taste to add salt and black pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
- Cooking the broccoli: Make sure not to overcook the broccoli, you want to only briefly blanch it so it keeps a good crunch. You could also add the broccoli raw if you love raw broccoli crunchy salads!
- Onion flavor: if raw onion tastes too pungent for your taste, then you can cook it in a pan or even better, soak it in cold water for 5-10 minutes while prepping the other ingredients.
- Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.
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