An easy and delicious orzo pasta salad featuring grilled summer vegetables, sun-blushed tomatoes and a simple lemon-and-olive-oil herb dressing. This salad can be served warm or chilled and is perfect for summer lunches, picnics or BBQs.
I love grilled vegetables in summer and usually serve them with steak, chicken spiedini or fish, but they also shine in pasta salads. Grilling in bulk means you can add extra vegetables to a pasta salad for easy lunches throughout the week.
Grilled vegetables keep well for up to three days, so while you prep dinner you can grill extra and toss them into a simple orzo salad for fast, flavourful meals. The salad is highly flexible — change herbs, vegetables or add-ins to keep it interesting.
See the full recipe and tips below and enjoy this light, colourful salad.
Ingredient notes
- Grilled veg – A mix of zucchini, eggplant and red pepper gives a balanced, smoky flavour. If using three vegetables, choose smaller-sized ones for even grilling.
- Sun blushed tomatoes – Also called semi-dried tomatoes, often sold marinated with garlic and herbs. If unavailable, jarred sun-dried tomatoes in oil are a good substitute.
- Fresh basil and dried oregano – Keep the herb profile simple; fresh mint or parsley can also be added for variety.
- Orzo – A rice-shaped pasta (risoni). If you prefer, swap for small pasta like shells, penne or mezze maniche.
Don’t rinse your pasta
Do not rinse the pasta with cold water when making this salad. Rinsing removes flavour from the pasta (salt and starch), cools it down so moisture remains, and prevents the dressing from adhering as well.
Instead, drain the hot pasta and add it immediately to a large bowl with the dressing. Stir to coat with olive oil to prevent sticking, then add the remaining ingredients and either serve warm or leave to cool.
Easy variations to try
- Add cheese – Cubes of mozzarella or torn bocconcini work well; add them once the pasta has cooled so the cheese keeps its texture.
- Add pesto – Stir in a spoonful of basil, arugula or sun-dried tomato pesto to boost flavour.
- Add meat – Cured meats like prosciutto or salami add a savoury element.
- Herbs – Fresh mint or parsley are great alternatives or complements to basil.
- Olives and capers – Keep these on hand for briny, salty depth.
- Raw vs grilled veg – Grilled vegetables bring sweetness and smokiness; for crunch and brightness, add cucumber, raw red onion or fresh cherry tomatoes.
More summer salads to try
Pasta
Zucchini Shrimp Pasta Salad
Salads
Insalata di Riso (Italian Rice Salad)
Sides
Patate Apparecchiate (Sicilian Potatoes with Onions and Olives)
Salads
Cialledda (Southern Italian Bread Salad)
If you try this Orzo Pasta Salad or any other recipe from this collection, please rate it and share your experience in the comments — feedback is always welcome.
Step by step photos above
Most recipes include step photos and helpful tips to make each dish turn out well.
Orzo and Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad
By Emily
Ingredients
- 1 cup (175g) orzo pasta (risoni)
- 1 small eggplant (aubergine)
- 1 small zucchini (courgette)
- 1 long red pepper (or small bell pepper)
- ½ cup (80g) sun blushed tomatoes
- 1 cup fresh basil (large handful)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup (50g) olive oil, plus extra for grilling
- 1 whole lemon (juice)
- ½ teaspoon salt flakes
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a ridged griddle pan or grill. Thinly slice the pepper, eggplant and zucchini and lightly drizzle with olive oil.
- Grill the pepper first until charred and soft on both sides, then transfer to a plate and cover with plastic wrap to loosen the skin for easier peeling.
- Grill the zucchini and eggplant until charred and tender on both sides. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with salt; set aside.
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the orzo until al dente.
- While the orzo cooks, whisk together ¼ cup (50g) olive oil, the juice of 1 lemon, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes and a pinch of black pepper in a large mixing bowl until emulsified.
- Drain the hot orzo and add it directly to the dressing. Stir to coat the pasta.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the peppers and peel off as much skin as possible. Roughly chop the peppers and add to the pasta.
- Roughly chop the zucchini, eggplant and fresh basil. Add them and the sun-blushed tomatoes to the orzo and toss everything together. Taste and adjust seasoning or lemon as needed.
- Serve warm or allow to cool and chill. The salad keeps well in the fridge for 3–4 days; bring to room temperature before serving for the best flavour.
Notes
- Tomatoes – Sun-blushed tomatoes are often found in the deli section alongside olives and marinated vegetables. If using jarred sun-dried tomatoes, choose those marinated in oil with garlic and herbs for more flavour.
- Peeling the pepper skin – Optional, but removing the skin can improve texture since it sometimes peels away after grilling.
- Storage – Store in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. The pasta will soften over time; add a fresh squeeze of lemon before serving if needed.
Helpful info for all recipes
- Extra virgin olive oil is used in most recipes unless noted otherwise.
- All vegetables are medium-sized unless stated otherwise.
- Recipes are developed and tested using a fan (convection) oven where applicable.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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