This delicious flavorful Orzo Summer Pasta Salad is packed with summer vegetables. It’s perfect for summer picnics and barbecues!
We are in the midst of pasta salad season! All summer long, I find myself throwing together pasta salads for family picnics, barbecues, and light lunches.
While I love a classic pasta salad, I do like to try to new ideas. There really isn’t a lot involved when making a pasta salad. You can tailor them to your likings and add in all the veggies you love. Pasta salads are a great way to use up those veggies from your garden or local farmer’s market.
The secret to this Orzo Summer Pasta Salad is the dressing. When making a summer pasta salad, you want to keep it light but flavorful at the same time.
That’s why I used Thrive® Algae Oil! Thrive is an everyday cooking oil made from algae that brings goodness to your heart, your kitchen, and the planet.
Swapping out sources of saturated fat, like butter and other cooking oils, for sources of monounsaturated fat, like Thrive Algae Oil, helps maintain heart health. Thrive has the highest levels of monounsaturated fat of any cooking oil (90%!). You know, the good fat! Not only is it loaded with good fats, Thrive Oil has the lowest amount of saturated fat compared to other cooking oils.
With a high smoke point (up to 485 degrees), I have started switching out my go-to oils in the kitchen with Thrive.
If you’re located in the greater Philadelphia area or New Jersey, you can try Thrive before you buy! Contact your local ACME store to find out about in-store tastings this weekend, Friday 6/1 to Monday 6/4, and pick up a bottle with the rest of your weekend barbecue haul.
TIPS FOR MAKING AND SERVING ORZO SUMMER PASTA SALAD:
— You can use any veggies you want in this pasta salad! Just back from a trip to the farmer’s market? Dice up your fresh veggies, roast them, and toss them in!
— After cooking your orzo and roasting your vegetables, make sure they are cooled off entirely before mixing your salad. You don’t want your ingredients warm when mixing! It will melt the cheese and clump together.
— When roasting your cherry tomatoes, save the drippings! They are a key ingredient for the dressing.
LOOKING FOR MORE PASTA SALAD RECIPES? WE THINK YOU MIGHT ENJOY THESE!
IT’S SUPER EASY TO MAKE ORZO SUMMER PASTA SALAD!
Orzo Summer Pasta Salad
You don’t need any special kitchen equipment to make Orzo Summer Pasta Salad so there’s no excuse not to make it right now!
— Thrive® Algae Oil: This oil is light and refreshing! Perfect for pasta salads.
— Glass mixing bowl with lid: You’ll need a large mixing bowl to mix your pasta salad. Use the largest bowl you have. The last thing you want is all your ingredients flying out of the bowl while you mix it! I also like to use a bowl with a lid. I can serve and store my pasta salad in the same bowl saving me dishes to wash!
— Lemon Juicer: While you don’t need a juicer (you can literally squeeze the lemons!), a juicer does make the process easier! It also saves you from having to pick out the seeds!
NOW THAT YOU HAVE YOUR COOKING ESSENTIALS, YOU ARE READY TO MAKE THIS ORZO SUMMER PASTA SALAD!
Orzo Summer Pasta Salad
This delicious flavorful Orzo Summer Pasta Salad is packed with summer vegetables. It's perfect for summer picnics and barbecues!
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/4 tsp lemon zest
- 3 tbs lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tbs Thrive Algae Oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp honey
Salad
- 3/4 cup orzo, uncooked
- 1/2 cup yellow pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup corn
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes , halved
- 3 tbs Thrive Algae Oil
- salt & pepper , to taste
- 1/2 cup mozzarella, cubed
- 1/3 cup basil, ribboned
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain and place in a large bowl.
- Toss the corn, chopped red pepper, & chopped zucchini with olive oil and salt and pepper on a tray. Cook for 20-25 minutes, flipping every 7-8 minutes in the preheated oven. (Cook until crisp tender).
- Remove and allow to cool.
- To make the dressing, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, Thrive Algae Oil, salt, garlic, honey, and roasted vegetable drippings. Whisk until well combined.
- Toss completely cooled vegetables, completely cooled pasta, cubed mozzarella, and ribboned basil with the dressing and chill in the fridge until ready to enjoy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Looking for more recipes like this one? Check out my Good Eats Pinterest Board! Don’t forget to pin the recipe for Orzo Summer Salad so you can make it for yourself!
