Pin Last summer, I was standing in my kitchen on a Tuesday afternoon when my neighbor stopped by with an armful of basil from her garden. Her tomato plants were overflowing, she said, and she didn't want them to go to waste. That's when it clicked: orzo pasta, those little pearls that cook in minutes, could be the perfect canvas for the season's best ingredients. I threw together what I had—fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, a glug of good olive oil—and tossed it all with warm pasta. One bite and I knew this would become my go-to dish whenever summer knocked on the door.
I remember bringing this to a potluck at the park, nestled in an old glass container I'd grabbed from the cabinet. Someone's kid came back for thirds, which never happens with salads. A friend who usually sticks to meat and potatoes ate almost the entire bowl without realizing it. That's when I understood: this isn't a side dish or an obligation salad. It's something people actually want to eat.
Ingredients
- Orzo pasta: These tiny rice-shaped noodles cook faster than regular pasta and have just the right texture to soak up dressing without turning mushy. Use the good stuff if you can find it, and don't skip the salt in the boiling water.
- Cherry tomatoes: Halve them so they release their juice into the salad, creating a natural sauce that mingles with the dressing. Look for tomatoes that smell sweet and give slightly when squeezed.
- Fresh mozzarella balls: Bocconcini are small enough to eat whole, but halving them creates more surface area for flavor. Buy them from a deli counter if possible; the plastic-wrapped ones taste like nothing.
- Fresh basil: Slice it by hand, never with a knife that's been in the dishwasher. The bruising changes the taste. Tear it if you need to, but slicing keeps it delicate.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: This is where quality matters most. A fruity, peppery oil transforms the entire dish from good to memorable.
- Balsamic vinegar: Use real aged balsamic if your budget allows; the cheaper bottles are mostly caramel and disappointment. A small amount goes a long way.
- Dijon mustard: Just a teaspoon acts as an emulsifier, helping the oil and vinegar stay friends instead of separating.
- Garlic and seasoning: One small clove minced fine is plenty; garlic can easily overwhelm this delicate salad. Taste as you go before adding more.
Instructions
- Boil the orzo until just right:
- Bring a generous pot of salted water to a rolling boil. The water should taste like the sea. Drop in the orzo and stir occasionally so the pasta doesn't stick to itself. When you bite one piece and it's still just slightly firm in the center, it's done—usually around 8 to 10 minutes.
- Cool it down without losing it:
- Drain the pasta through a colander, then rinse it under cold running water while moving it around with your hand. You want it cool but not ice-cold, and you want each piece separate and loose.
- Pile it all together:
- In a large bowl, toss the cooled orzo with the tomato halves, mozzarella pieces, and basil. The warmth of the pasta will soften the cheese just slightly, which is exactly what you want.
- Make the dressing that holds everything:
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk until it looks thicker and emulsified, not separated and watery. This usually takes about one minute of steady whisking.
- Bring it all home:
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently—these ingredients are delicate and you want them to stay intact, not shredded. Taste a forkful and adjust the salt and pepper if it needs it. You can serve it right away, warm and fresh, or chill it for 30 minutes to let the flavors settle into each other.
Pin What I love most is watching someone taste this for the first time and their expression change as all the flavors hit at once—the cool creaminess of the mozzarella, the burst of sweet acid from the tomato, the peppery finish of good olive oil, the whisper of garlic. It's simple, but it tastes like it came from somewhere intentional.
The Tomato Question
The quality of your tomatoes will make or break this salad, period. If you can only find hard, pale tomatoes in winter, this isn't the recipe to make. But in summer when tomatoes taste like sunshine and have that slight give when you squeeze them, this dish becomes transcendent. I've learned the hard way that buying tomatoes from a farmers market in August costs a few cents more but tastes like it came from a different planet than supermarket tomatoes in March. Cherry tomatoes are more forgiving than larger varieties—they have more concentrated flavor even when they're not quite perfect.
Making It Your Own
Once you understand the structure of this salad, you can play with it. I've added crispy prosciutto torn over the top, a handful of peppery arugula, even sliced red onion when I was in the mood for something sharper. Toasted pine nuts add a nuttiness that makes people ask for the recipe. The dressing is balanced enough that it handles additions without becoming chaotic, as long as you don't add too many things at once.
When to Make This
This is the salad for the moments when you want something that feels special but doesn't require you to stand over a stove. It's perfect for picnics because it actually tastes good at room temperature. I make it when friends are coming over and I want them to taste something that feels effortless on my end but refined on theirs. It's also sneakily healthy—you're eating fresh vegetables, getting protein from the mozzarella and pasta, and the whole thing feels indulgent rather than obligatory.
- Pack it in a glass container for picnics or potlucks so people can see how beautiful it looks before they taste it.
- Double the dressing recipe and keep it in a jar; it works on almost any salad and stays good for a week in the fridge.
- Make extra orzo when you're cooking pasta for dinner, cool it, and you're halfway to this salad tomorrow.
Pin This is the kind of recipe that gets better every time you make it because you learn the small things—how your tomatoes taste, which brand of mozzarella you prefer, exactly how much garlic feels right. It becomes a conversation between you and your ingredients rather than following someone else's instructions.
Recipe Q&A
- → How do you cook orzo perfectly?
Boil salted water and cook orzo until al dente, usually 8–10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and cool the pasta.
- → Can I make this dish ahead of time?
Yes, chilling for about 30 minutes enhances flavors, but it's best enjoyed within a day for freshness.
- → What can I use instead of fresh mozzarella balls?
Diced fresh mozzarella works well as a substitute, ensuring the creamy texture remains in the dish.
- → How can I add extra texture to this dish?
Adding toasted pine nuts or a handful of arugula introduces crunch and a peppery note.
- → What dressing ingredients balance the flavors?
The dressing combines extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper for a tangy and rich finish.
- → Is this dish suitable for vegetarians?
Yes, it includes no meat and centers on pasta, vegetables, cheese, and herbs, fitting vegetarian diets.