This is a sort of copy of a supermarket salad I’ve been enjoying for ages. It’s a simple (of course) cold orzo salad with just a few ingredients: a basil and olive oil pesto, toasted pine nuts, finely shredded spinach and thickly grated parmesan stirred into orzo pasta.
One of mine and Mr. Scrummy’s (but especially Mr. Scrummy’s) favourite meals when we go to my parents’ for dinner is jacket potatoes (that’s possibly baked potatoes to you!) with ‘bits’. OK, so I know what you’re thinking: ‘Now stop being cryptic, or I’m clicking straight off this page. What’s ‘bits’? Pray do explain.’
Well, there’s a bit of quiche, there’s a bit of green salad, there’s a bit of sliced avocado, there’s a bit of grated cheese for the potatoes … and a few little bitty salad-y things in pots from a rather posh food hall called ‘Marks and Spencers’ (If you want an extra nice version of something pre-packaged here in the UK, this is where you go. You pay for it, but oooh it’s so good!)
So one of the ‘bits in pots’ that I always enjoy the most is a cold pasta salad with a pesto-y dressing, spinach, parmesan and pine nuts. The only problem is, it’s sold in the tiniest little pot you could imagine, and as you can probably guess I am a bit of a greedy guts so this sort of thing can be a problem. Soooo … I had the bright idea of trying to make something a bit like this for myself … and fortunately it turned out just as I had imagined!
You can’t beat a freshly-made homemade pesto!
This spinach, pesto & parmesan orzo salad, then, is pretty self-explanatory, really. It’s orzo pasta (the rice-shaped kind, as you can see from the piccies) cooked al dente and tossed together with generous amounts of a basil pesto, finely chopped spinach, thickly-grated parmesan and toasted pine nuts. Really, that’s it – oh, unless you count the splash of vinegar I added, too, just to give it a tiny bit of zing.
We enjoyed this last night with a simple meal of jacket potatoes with tuna and sweetcorn and other little ‘bits’! It was certainly nothing fancy, but we enjoyed it just as much as I think I would have enjoyed the amazing creations we were watching on UK Masterchef as we ate! Well, almost as much, anyway … 😉
I think this would be a great pasta salad to accompany a grilled or barbequed meat or even a nice chunk of fresh fish. It would also be really easy to jazz up a bit with cubes of feta cheese, asparagus spears, Kalamata olives or sundried tomatoes. Mmmm … might try one of those variations next time!
So are we the only ones who enjoy ‘bitty’ meals like this? What do you include in your ‘bitty meals’??
spinach, pesto & parmesan orzo salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry orzo pasta
- about 2 handfuls fresh basil
- 1 ounce pine nuts
- a small clove garlic
- 6 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil plus a little extra
- 2 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese grated (quite thickly)
- 2 tablespoons white wine or cider vinegar
- salt & pepper
Instructions
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Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions (you want it to be al dente so don’t overcook), then drain in cold water and put into a medium bowl. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan on a medium heat. Keep jiggling them around until they are lightly brown.
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Put about two thirds of the basil, a handful of the toasted pine nuts, the garlic and the 6 tablespoons olive oil into a food processor (a baby one is perfect) and whizz for a few seconds until well combined (the pesto can be slightly chunky or totally smooth – doesn’t really matter). Tip the pesto over the orzo and combine well. Then add the chopped spinach, the rest of the basil (chopped a little), the rest of the pine nuts, the parmesan and vinegar and combine again. Season to taste.
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Spoon the pasta salad into a nice bowl (if you like) to serve, then drizzle over a little extra olive oil.
Recipe Notes
Based on a salad I've been eating for ages from Marks & Spencers! Thanks for the idea, Marks & Sparks!
This is great served as a side dish with other salad-y ‘bits’ e.g. baked potatoes with a filling or two, a green salad, coleslaw, quiche etc.!
Add small cubes of feta cheese, sundried tomatoes or asparagus spears to this salad if you want to ‘jazz it up’ a bit!
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Cathleen @ A Taste Of Madness says
I can’t believe I have never made anything with orzo before! This looks so good!
Helen says
Hi, Kathleen! Do try orzo some time – I bet you’ll really like it!
Chrissy says
I’m not a pasta person at all, but I love orzo. I think my brain thinks it’s rice. Anyway, this looks great for the (hopefully warmer) upcoming months!
Helen says
Thanks, Chrissy! I’m the opposite to you. I prefer pasta to rice, but I especially like orzo. You’re right that this is great for spring/summer. Just need to get myself in the mood a bit early!
Maggie says
Love the simplicity of this salad! It’s great in flavor and really light and healthy for dinner. It’ll be a perfect one-dish meal with some white wine 😉 Btw, do you think it’s ok to add some roasted chicken in it? I prefer to have more protein and reduce the amount of pasta sometimes.
Helen says
Oh yes, you could definitely add chicken into this … why not? I wouldn’t eat it as a whole main meal, though. I suppose you could, but I would prefer to serve it as a side dish!
Joanne says
Oooo I love this. I might have to make something very similar to it to bring for easter this year! I mean, it’s the perfect kind of Easter food, don’t you think?
Helen says
Really happy you like this so much, Joanne! And yes, I definitely think it’s great ‘bring-along’ food for a party. I would definitely add some feta and/or sundried tomatoes if I was taking it to a party, though … yummy!
Lori @ TheHealthMinded.com says
I really enjoy those kind of dinners, too, Helen, This is so pretty and I know I would love the flavors in this. Love all your British lingo and oh yes . . . Marks and Spencers is special!
Helen says
Ha! Really glad you enjoy my ‘Britishness’, Lori … and this simple salad!
Renee says
I’ve been in an Orzo salad mood lately and our weather is so warm right now. I’ll be making this tomorrow night!!
Helen says
Oh, really, Renee? I really hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Eva says
J’aime beaucoup les “jacket potatoes”, quand j’étais en Angleterre j’ai mangé beaucoup. J’aimé bien la simplicité de la pomme de terre et qu’on puis la changé totalement selon son dressage !
Ta salade est génial, simple et gouteuse, juste comme j’aime !
Helen says
Merci, Eva! Moi aussi j’adore des pommes faites comme ca. Tout le monde aime les manger ici … avec des ‘toppings’ differents, comme tu dis! 🙂
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext says
Love this salad, Helen! Loving the pesto and orzo – such a great combo! 😀
Helen says
Thanks, Jess! It does work really well, I must admit! 😉
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
I have only recently discovered orzo, but I love it and it makes a nice change from regular pasta. This sound delicious too.
Helen says
I was first introduced to orzo when I was living in Greece – it’s really popular there. But I only see it from time to time over here, don’t you? I hope you try this some time. It’s great for weekday lunches!
Annie @ ciaochowbambina says
Oh yes! This has Easter written all over it!! I love orzo, I love pesto, I love Parmesan. This is a perfect bowl of food, my friend!
Helen says
Thank you so much for saying so, Annie! I actually wasn’t thinking this was particularly a spring or easter recipe, but I can see now that it is!
Kathleen | HapaNom says
Oh I love orzo salads! And your recipe with all of those wonderful greens is SO perfect for the season! It’s like spring in a bowl – I love it!
Helen says
Thanks so much, Kathleen. I love that – spring in a bowl! 🙂
mira says
Looks so fresh and delicious! Definitely some of my favorite ingredients! Love spinach so much! Pinned of course!
Helen says
Thanks, Mira! This does indeed taste extremely fresh. Thanks again for pinning! 🙂
marcie says
I love orzo and make it often, and this looks like an incredible way to change things up by making it green! I’ve never made it with pesto — terrible. That’ll be happening soon!
Helen says
I should have just called this ‘green orzo’, shouldn’t I? Glad you like this, Marcie. It’s a great take-along dish!
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
I’m a huge pesto fan and I love the idea of making it with spinach. This is my kind of pasta!
Helen says
Thanks, Marissa! 🙂
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
This looks so fresh and delish! We’ve got something similar in the US at Whole Foods, a spinach orzo salad I always covet 🙂 This is so much healthier and cost-effective, though!
Helen says
Hi, Medha! Whole Foods sounds a bit like Marks and Spencer … lots of pre-packaged food, but yummy and high quality. Really happy you like this!
Choclette says
I’m very fond of a good jacket potato too, but your salad looks super good and I might have to choose that instead.
Helen says
Hello and thanks so much for passing by! Really glad you like this and hope you consider giving it a go some time!
[email protected] says
I’m a greedy guts too. And I can’t think of a better motivation to create a copycat recipe than because the pots you buy it in is so small. Kudos to you Helen. We are too similar!!
Helen says
lol … well, I can think of worse reasons to copy a recipe … 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
What a gorgeous salad, Helen! I love the pretty green colors. And pesto and parmesan are pretty much the best combination ever. Looks so delicious!
Helen says
Thank you so much, Gayle! Hope you’re having a nice week!
Sabrina Modelle says
Brits have the best names for foods. My grandmother was raised in London and it wasn’t until I was in my twenties that it dawned on me that people in the US did not know what I was talking about when I said things like “eggs and soldiers”. This looks lovely and fresh just in time for our spring heatwave. Just love it.
Helen says
Hello, Sabrina! Thanks so much for passing by! I’m very jealous of your heatwave … it’s still pretty cold over here in the UK. That’s why I need to start making fresh-looking foods like this to remind myself that spring is actually supposed to be here already!
Oooh, ‘eggs and soldiers’!! We used to have those every Sunday evening just about!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
I can totally understand why you made your own version. Especially when you know that it is orzo and that you could make a huge bowl of it and then quite happily eat that instead of a tiny little container! 😀
Helen says
Oh yes, I could QUITE happily eat a huuuge bowl of this all to myself!
[email protected] Whole and Heavenly Oven says
This salad looks so fresh and amazing and so perfect for spring! Orzo is my favorite cut of pasta and I’m loving all that gorgeous green stuff in here!
Helen says
Thanks, Sarah! This salad did end up rather ‘green’, didn’t it? Lucky it’s the ‘right’ time of year!
mila furman says
Helen…I love dishes like this…probably because I have a secret love affair with pesto and orzo. Lovely dish!
Helen says
Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me 😉
judit+ Corina | Glamorous Bite says
This is a great dish to take anyplace, if you can bear to part with it! It looks so yummy you just might want to stay in and gobble it up alone 🙂
Helen says
Haha … sounds like a great plan! 🙂
cheri says
I love orzo, though I always make mine exactly the same way with smoked salmon. This looks delicious!!!
Helen says
Mmmm … I like the idea of making a smoked salmon orzo salad! 🙂
Mariana @The Candid Kitchen says
The jacket potato story with bits made me laugh. And like you M&S has inspired me to make quite a few recipes too, I really, really love this. Saw Nigella using Orzo and have been meaning to try it ever since.
Helen says
Glad to have entertained you, Mariana! 😉 I might go back into Marks and see what other ideas I can steal … lol! Do try an orzo salad. It’s great hot cooked a bit like risotto, too!
Kate @ Framed Cooks says
You know, I have a lonely box of orzo in my pantry that I bought for something else, and I’ve been stumped about what to use the rest of it for – and now I’ve found it! So pretty and springtime looking. 🙂
Helen says
Hello, Kate! Thanks so much for visiting! Really happy to have helped you out with that lonely orzo 😉
Laura says
Helen, can I confess that 6 months ago I didn’t even know what orzo was. Isn’t that terrible? I just love the green-ish pop of color to this dish. You got the spinach, the pesto and the parm. Ok, that’s not green and would be pretty gross if it were! And I love the pine nuts and basil in here. I think I can smell this all the way from Niagara Falls and my belly is telling me, eat it , eat it. Is that possible?
Helen says
Ooh, now you’ve put an image of myself sitting by Niagara Falls eating a big bowl of this, Laura! Maybe I will do that some day! 🙂
Ashley says
I just love how green this is! haha I don’t know what it is lately but I am loving so many green veggies, etc. that sort of thing! This orzo looks wonderful!
Helen says
Really happy you like this salad, Ashley … I’m loving green veggies at the moment, too. It must be the hankering after summer …
Beth says
This recipe looks wonderful!
Could you please tell me what temperature this salad is served at?
Helen says
Hi Beth! Great question! I serve it cold (just rinse the pasta in cold water when it’s cooked, or eat from the fridge). There are absolutely no rules though. If you prefer the idea of eating it warm, then go ahead! Enjoy!