Orzo Pasta Salad with Basil Butter, Peppers, Tomatoes

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.

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

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.

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.

Just have fun with it and play with the flavors.

Equipment needed to prepare this fantastic pasta salad with orzo

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