Mediterranean Pesto Orzo Salad {Copycat Trader Joe's}

This Mediterranean Pesto Orzo Salad is made with tender orzo pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, kalamata olives and spinach all tossed in a herbaceous homemade pesto dressing. It's great to serve at a party or just to keep in the fridge for a quick lunch.

I first stumbled upon a popular Trader Joe's salad in their prepared food section a few years ago while on the run. I grabbed it because it was well past lunchtime and I needed some fuel. I was pleasantly surprised at the flavor and wanted to recreate a similar pasta salad that could serve a crowd.

It's a light pasta salad with loads of savory flavors that lean into those Mediterranean flavors including the addition of feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives. I love serving it along side my three ingredient snacking chicken for a complete meal!

A sampling of ingredients

• Sun-dried tomatoes in oil - You want to opt for sun-dried tomatoes in oil for this recipe. While packaged dried sun-dried tomatoes are delicious, they lack the moisture and tenderness that the oil packed ones give you which meld better in this salad.
• Feta cheese - Feta cheese really gives this salad the salty bite that is needed for flavor.
• Spinach - I adore fresh leafy spinach! It's one of the ingredients in the Trader Joe version of this salad but I do recommend adding the spinach before serving or if you're packing up for a lunch add to the top and mix before eating. The fresh spinach will begin to wilt as it gets mixed into the salad.

Let's Put it Together

Pasta Salad

1. Boil your pasta as directed.
2. Drain and rinse with cold water. Return to pot or bowl and drizzle with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.
3. Add in your the remaining ingredients except salt and spinach. Mix to combine well and taste before adding any salt.
4. Mix in your fresh spinach before serving.
5. Feel free to add in cooked chicken, tofu or other protein to the salad. Once refrigerated, you may need to add a touch more olive oil to reconstitute as some will be absorbed by the pasta.
6. Enjoy up to a week in the fridge.

Pesto

• Place your clean basil in the bowl of a food processor and begin to chop on high speed.
• Stop and scrape down sides, add in your nuts, cheese, garlic, salt, lemon zest and juice. Continue to process on high speed.
• Begin drizzling your oil into the bowl of the food processor while still running. Continue until oil is finished and your pesto is smooth and creamy. Add in any additional salt, garlic or lemon to taste.

Storage

This salad is best served the second day or after a few hours in the fridge. It holds in the fridge well for 4-5 days. It is best not to freeze. After removing from fridge, allow to come to room temperature to allow the oil and pesto warm up to create a better texture. You can always add additional olive oil or pesto to taste or texture.

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Whether you choose to serve this salad as an appetizer, bring to a party or enjoy for lunches, you will certainly enjoy the simplicity, versatility and pleasant flavor.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! As always, I love seeing your creations. Please leave a review or share your dish with me on social media. You can find me on Facebook,  Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. For more delicious recipes to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!

xoxo,
Cosette

Watch me make this delicious salad on KATU Afternoon Live:

https://katu.com/afternoon-live/cooking-recipes/mediterranean-orzo-salad

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