Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad

This colorful Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad is a versatile and delicious recipe packed with bell peppers, zucchini, and roasted garlic. Make-ahead for a weeknight side dish or pair with a protein for a filling meal prep lunch!

What are the ingredients in this Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad?

No big surprises here, most of the ingredients are named in the title! Aside from the vegetables and the orzo, we need just a couple pantry staples to bring this salad to life. Here’s a list of everything I used in this recipe, and a little info on each:

• red onion – Have you ever had a roasted red onion? Roasting brings out the sweetness of the onion, and I love how tender and delicious they become!
• zucchini – Try to but your zucchini into roughly the same size as your bell peppers. Too thin and they may start to burn. Too thick and they may turn out a bit mushy.
• bell peppers – You can use any mix of bell peppers you like, green is of course the cheapest, but try to throw in at least one different color, as other colors are sweeter than green.
• garlic cloves – As an avid roasted garlic fan, I’m obsessed with this method of roasting. I find that the cloves cool off wayyyy quicker than an whole head of garlic covered in foil. I have no patience for that and always burn my hands 😂
• extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper – For the best tasting roasted veggies, keep it simple with EVOO, salt and pepper. SO delicious!
• orzo pasta – Be sure to salt your pasta water with a nice 1/2 tablespoon or so at least. This helps infuse more flavor in the orzo as it cooks.
• sun-dried tomatoes – To add another component and depth of flavor, a small amount of sun-dried tomatoes are the perfect addition! I like to chop them up quite small so they disperse well.
• red wine vinegar – A small bit of red wine vinegar adds a delicate but zippy flavor boost that brings out the taste of each vegetable in the salad.
• fresh basil – Although optional, adding a bit of fresh basil adds a pungent and very slightly peppery taste that contrasts well with all the roasted flavors in the recipe.

Equipment you’ll need to make this recipe:

To make this recipe, you’ll need a few kitchen staples to help move things along. Here are my recommendations:

• cutting board – There are a lot of vegetables to cut up here in this recipe, so it’s best to equip yourself well. I recommend the Greener Chef XL Bamboo Cutting Board (affiliate link!). It’s pictured here, and I use it for everything except cutting raw meat.
• sharp knife – My favorite knife is a Misen Chef’s Knife (affiliate link!)! Affordable and well-made.
• saucepan – Any stovetop safe small saucepan will work for cooking the small amount of orzo needed in this recipe.
• all purpose bowls – I use bowls from this 8-Piece Pyrex Sculptured Mixing Bowl Set (affiliate link!) nearly everyday. You can also see them pictured here in this post.

How to make this Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad:

The most time consuming part of this recipe is roasting the vegetables, otherwise it’s incredibly easy to put together. Prep all the veggies, roast them, cook the orzo, and then put the whole thing together.

Start by preheating the oven to 400F. Line two rimmed half sheet pans (affiliate link!) with parchment paper. Toss the vegetables in a large bowl (one of the sculpted bowls I mentioned works great here) with the olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper, about 1/2 tablespoon each, but I never measure 😬

Spread all the seasoned vegetables in a single layer across both trays. If you try to fit it on one tray, they won’t have enough room to brown properly! Roast for 35-40 minutes, swapping the trays around from top to bottom and tossing the vegetables with a spatula halfway through so they cook evenly.

Meanwhile as the veggies roast, cook the orzo in a pan of boiling, salted water for best flavor. Cooking times vary from brand to brand (some orzo is quite flat and some can be quite rounded and require a longer cooking time), so be sure to check your specific package directions. When it’s done, drain the cooked orzo very well and set aside.

Once the vegetables are done roasting, carefully remove the garlic cloves from the sheet pans and scrape the rest of the vegetables into a large mixing bowl. Get as much of the cooking juices from the trays into the bowl as possible – this adds more flavor and moisture!

Once they’re cool enough to touch, squeeze the roasted garlic from their skins into the bowl with the vegetables. Add the cooked orzo and mix everything together to combine and disperse the pasta.

Next, stir in the sun-dried tomato pieces and red wine vinegar. Add more salt if it needs more of a savory note, and pepper if you’d like to give the salad a bit more depth. Definitely give it a taste through the end of assembly. This is how to make the best salad according to YOU!

Finally, fold in the roughly chopped basil just before serving. Don’t add the basil if you’re planning for leftovers of this salad. It is still delicious without, and the basil goes a bit dark and loses flavor after a few days. It also does not taste as good when the salad is reheated.

What to serve with this orzo salad:

Here are three amazing ideas for serving this orzo salad (it’s really good by itself too!):

• Add some simple but perfect seasoned cooked chicken, as pictured below! This is my favorite way to eat this salad. I am biased, but I think it’s incredible tasting as well. Try my Thin Sliced Stovetop Chicken Breast recipe!
• Add one drained can of chickpeas to the sheet pan veggies after about 15 minutes of cooking. The chickpeas will need to roast for only 20-30 minutes.
• Add some feta or crumbled goat cheese for additional creamy texture and protein.

Ways to customize this Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad:

Here are a few different ways to customize this recipe and make it your own:

• swap the veggies – Add some cherry tomatoes, radishes, squash, or even potatoes. Consult this vegetable roasting chart for more ideas.
• use a different pasta shape – Feel free to use whatever pasta shape you already have if not orzo!
• add a sauce or citrus – One example is adding pesto, like my Roasted Veggie Pesto Pasta Salad. Hummus would be delicious, plus a huge squeeze of lemon juice!

Ways to meal prep this recipe:

There are a couple ways to save time by preparing all or part of this recipe ahead of time. Here are some options:

1. Ingredient prep: All of the veggies including the red onion, zucchini, and bell peppers could be chopped up and stored in the fridge for up to 48 hours before cooking.
2. Complete meal prep: Make the recipe as written, but portion the orzo salad evenly into four containers with lids to enjoy within the next 4-5 days. You could also add some cooked diced chicken to each container for a more filling meal (eat within 4 days).
3. Enjoy now & later: Prepare all the ingredients and make the recipe as written. Enjoy some now, then store leftovers in meal prep containers with lids and use up within 5 days.

Is this recipe freezer-friendly?

No, I would not recommend freezing this recipe as the roasted vegetables would not do well after thawing.

How to store Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad:

Don’t add the basil if you’re planning for leftovers of this salad. It is still delicious without, and the basil goes a bit dark and loses flavor after a few days – it also does not taste as good when the salad is reheated. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

How to reheat Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad:

This orzo salad can be served cold or warmed; I actually prefer it freshly made or cold from the fridge. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds blasts, stirring in between. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to create steam if it seems dry.

Recipe developed by Rachel Phipps.