Caprese Orzo Pasta Salad

This Caprese Orzo Pasta Salad comes together in 20 minutes with orzo, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil tossed in a garlicky homemade balsamic vinaigrette. It’s light enough to serve as a side but hearty enough to stand alone as lunch, and it holds up beautifully in the fridge, which makes it a go-to for potlucks, meal prep, and summer get-togethers. Growing up in a Lebanese household, we treated simple ingredients like good olive oil, fresh herbs, and sharp garlic as the backbone of a dish, not an afterthought. That’s exactly the philosophy behind the dressing here: olive oil, balsamic, honey, dried oregano, and three minced garlic cloves that make the whole salad taste like you tried much harder than you did.

Cook the orzo, cool it, toss it with halved cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, and torn basil, then pour the dressing over everything. That’s it. I love making this for my family alongside grilled chicken or salmon, or bringing a big bowl to a backyard gathering where it always disappears first. We eat a lot of orzo recipes in this house and a few favorites we return to often are this Easy Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Orzo, Summer Orzo Pasta Salad, Greek Orzo Pasta Salad, Fall Orzo Pasta Salad and this Arugula Orzo Pasta Salad. 

Here is everything you need to make this salad. The full ingredient list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

• Orzo Pasta: The base of the salad. Orzo holds dressing well without getting mushy, which is why it works better here than larger pasta shapes.
• Cherry Tomatoes: Halved and juicy. Use the ripest ones you can find since they’re a main flavor driver.
• Fresh Mozzarella: Pearls or small balls packed in water. Do not substitute shredded mozzarella — you need the creamy, fresh kind.
• Fresh Basil Leaves: Torn just before serving to keep it fragrant and prevent browning.
• Balsamic Vinaigrette: A homemade dressing made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, dried oregano, and minced garlic. This is what sets the recipe apart from a basic caprese toss.
• Balsamic Glaze: Optional drizzle right before serving that adds a slightly sweet, syrupy finish.

Recipe Variations

• Beans: I love adding beans to as many recipes as I can. Try white beans, garbanzo beans, white kidney beans, baby lima beans, great northern beans, black beans, butter beans, navy beans or kidney beans are always a nice option.
• Vegetables: You can add vegetables to this salad like sun-dried tomatoes, red peppers, red onion, radish, zucchini, artichokes, avocado or kalamata olives. 
• Pasta: You can use your favorite pasta in this salad. I tend to like the smaller medium sized pastas in this salad.
• Greens: Greens would be a nice, healthy addition to this salad. My favorites are kale, spinach, peppery arugula or a mixed green mixture. 
• Cheese: You can sub the mozzarella for feta cheese or goat cheese. I also like adding parmesan cheese.
• Spices: I like to add sumac or za’atar to a salad like this. You could also use paprika, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes or dill. 
• Protein: This is the perfect salad for protein. I like to add rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken, grilled shrimp, salmon or even grilled steak.

How Do You Make a Caprese Orzo Salad?

Step 1: Cook the Orzo: Cook pasta according to the package to al dente. Let cool completely or run under cold water until cooled.

Step 2: Add Ingredients to Mixing Bowl: While the orzo cooks chop your cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes and add them to a large bowl. Add in the mozzarella pearls and basil. Add the cooked orzo and toss gently.

Step 3: Create the Dressing: In a mason jar or small bowl combine the olive oil, regular balsamic vinegar, honey, oregano, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

Step 4: Toss the Salad in the Dressing: Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. Serve in a large salad bowl.

You can add balsamic glaze just before serving {optional}. Store the leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. When I use the leftovers will often toss a little more olive oil and balsamic in the salad. Sometimes I will also add a squeeze of lemon juice to help brighten the dish. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not cooling the orzo before tossing. Hot orzo wilts the basil and melts the mozzarella into the dressing. Run it under cold water until it’s fully cooled before combining.
• Dressing it too far in advance. The orzo will absorb all the dressing within a few hours. If making ahead, hold back half the dressing and add it right before serving.
• Using low-moisture mozzarella. Part-skim shredded mozzarella doesn’t belong here. You need fresh mozzarella, the kind packed in water, for the right texture and flavor.
• Under-seasoning. Orzo is neutral and needs salt. Taste after dressing and adjust. A pinch more salt or a squeeze of lemon right before serving makes a noticeable difference.
• Skipping the garlic in the dressing. It seems like a small thing, but minced fresh garlic in the vinaigrette is what makes this taste like a recipe someone actually developed, not a last-minute toss.