Bruschetta Orzo Pasta Salad

At a glance

What stands out: Fresh and flavorful, this bruschetta orzo pasta salad is going to be a summertime favorite! Bonus: It isn’t made with mayonnaise or yogurt so it’s a safe choice for warm-weather picnics.

How long it takes: 25 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: pasta pan, large mixing bowl
Servings: 16

Bruschetta Orzo Pasta Salad

All a standby flavors of summer. With lots of fresh vine-ripened tomatoes, leafy green basil, and shredded Parmesan cheese, this pasta salad is simple summer perfection. If you’re a fan of Caprese, you’ll love this salad (be sure to try our Caprese pasta salad, Caprese couscous stuffed tomatoes, and hot Caprese dip, too). The dressing is a vinaigrette, with no mayonnaise, which keeps it light and flavorful.

Straightforward to mix. This orzo salad is a snap to make. You can have it ready in about a half hour. It can be served immediately or you can refrigerate it to serve later.

Popular for entertaining. This salad has wide appeal. Most everyone loves tomato bruschetta and this bruschetta orzo pasta salad is no different. It’s reliable for potlucks or picnics because the dressing is a simple vinaigrette which holds up well to summer temperatures.

A meal prepper’s dream. Bruschetta orzo pasta salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to five days, which makes it ideal for straightforward lunches all week long. We even enjoy it alongside our scrambled eggs for breakfast.

What goes in

• Orzo: This pasta is sometimes confused with rice because of its small grain-like shape. In our opinion, orzo is the reliable pasta for salads because you always get a wonderful bite of pasta with all the other ingredients, unlike a bigger pasta shape where you might just get a bite of pasta and nothing else.
• Fresh tomatoes: Use a combination of vine-ripened tomatoes. Look for a variety of colorful tomatoes for a pretty salad. The better-tasting your tomatoes are, the better-tasting your salad will be.
• Red onion & minced garlic: These two savories enhance the flavor of the salad.
• Vinaigrette: Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for this salad because it will shine. White balsamic vinegar adds tangy flavor with a hint of sweetness. The dressing is seasoned simply with salt and pepper.
• Shredded Parmesan cheese: Freshly shredded Parmesan cheese is more flavorful but you can certainly buy pre-shredded if you prefer. Avoid grated Parmesan which is too powdery for this salad.
• Fresh basil: This is essential to the bruschetta salad. We usually add it right before serving the salad since basil tends to turn brown once it’s sliced.

How it comes together

Cook pasta. Begin by cooking the orzo. Drain it, rinse it with cold water, and drain it again. This process stops the pasta from continuing to cook from residual heat. Drain it well; you don’t want to water down your salad.

Marinate tomatoes in dressing. While the pasta is cooking, mix together chopped tomatoes, finely minced onion, garlic, white balsamic vinegar, GOOD olive oil, salt and pepper. Let the tomatoes marinate awhile, allowing all the great flavors to soak into the tomatoes (similar to our marinated tomatoes recipe).

Combine. Fold the tomato bruschetta mixture into the cooled pasta. Garnish the salad with lots of fresh basil and shredded Parmesan cheese.

Make Ahead/Storage

Prep the salad a day before you plan on serving it, and refrigerate it. It keeps well for up to five days. Since the pasta continues to absorb the dressing even when refrigerated, the orzo salad does tend to get a bit drier. If you’re planning on storing the salad, we would make extra dressing to add when you serve it.

• Yield: 16
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 10 minutes
• Total: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 box (16 ounces) orzo, uncooked
• 3 cups diced fresh tomatoes (any variety, or a combination)
• 2 tablespoons finely minced red onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (see note)
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (see note)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ cup minced fresh basil
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Method

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook orzo to al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir to combine, cover, and set aside for 15 minutes to marinate tomatoes.
3. Mix together cooked pasta and tomato mixture until all ingredients are combined. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.
4. To serve, add basil and Parmesan cheese; stir to combine.

Notes

Ingredient recommendations: Traditional dark balsamic vinegar will change the color of this salad, so we recommend using white balsamic vinegar. Using good quality extra virgin olive oil will elevate this orzo pasta salad from pretty good to outstanding. Use a standby tasting tomatoes you can find, preferable vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes.

Pro tip: Soak the minced onions in ice water before adding them to the salad. It’s optional, but it does make them taste milder. Drain the soaked onions well, using a paper towel to remove excess moisture before adding them to the salad.

Make it a main dish salad: Add sliced grilled chicken to the salad (try this Italian marinade ), or cooked shrimp. For a vegetarian meal, add fresh mozzarella or cannellini beans.

Make ahead/storage: Refrigerate salad in a covered container for up to five days. If we're making it ahead, we hold off on adding the basil and Parmesan until ready to serve. If the salad seems dry (the pasta will continue to absorb the dressing), mix up additional dressing to add.