California Roll Pasta Salad

If you love California Rolls but don’t have the first idea how to roll sushi, make this amazing California Roll Pasta Salad. This is so perfect for summer get-togethers.

bowl of California Roll Pasta Salad with two spoons for serving - 2

My family absolutely loves California Rolls. It is always shocking to me how many my kids can eat, especially my younger ones.

If you love California Rolls too, you have to try this delicious pasta salad. It has all of the great flavors of the sushi roll, but with far less work.

Pasta Salad With Orzo

Whenever I post a recipe that calls for orzo, I get several questions asking me what orzo is. Orzo is a type of small pasta shaped like a large grain of rice.

Despite its rice-like shape and name (orzo means “barley” in Italian), orzo is indeed pasta. It originates from Italy and is a very versatile ingredient. It can be used in soups , salads, side dishes, and even as a base for a fake risotto due to its ability to absorb flavor and create a creamy texture. You can find it in your grocery store next to the other pasta.

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How to Make California Roll Pasta Salad

Here is a brief overview of how this orzo pasta salad recipe comes together. For the full recipe including all measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Cook the orzo. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the orzo with a few pinches of kosher salt. Cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool it and keep it from sticking together.
Prepare the vegetables. While the orzo is cooking, cut the cucumber into small long bite-sized pieces and the avocado into small bite-sized pieces.
Make the salad. Combine the cooked orzo, cucumber, avocado, and crab together in a large bowl.
Add the dressing. Stir in the olive oil, sesame oil, vinegar, and soy sauce. Finally, stir in the sesame seeds.

Cooking Orzo For Pasta Salad

A few simple tips can ensure that your orzo is cooked perfectly for pasta salad.

Use plenty of water. Use a large pot of water to cook your orzo. This allows plenty of space for the pasta to move freely and prevents clumping, ensuring even cooking.
Salt the water. I always use salt to season the pasta while it’s cooking. Normally when we cook a pound of pasta we want to use 1 to 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Because we are only cooking a cup here, we want to add a few pinches.
Make sure the water is really boiling. You want to see large, rolling bubbles before adding your dry orzo.
Set a timer. Follow the directions on the package and set a timer as soon as the pasta is added to the boiling water. Orzo continues to cook a bit even after draining, so slightly undercooked is better than overcooked.
Rise the pasta. Typically rinsing pasta after it cooks is a no-no. However, because the orzo is going in a cold pasta salad, I like to rinse it with cold water after draining the orzo to cool it down and stop it from cooking.

Making Ahead and Storing Leftovers

This salad is almost better the next day. The dressing is so light, and the pasta so small, that it doesn’t over-absorb. I don’t recommend making it more than one day before you plan to serve it.

Keep this pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. If it is left out for more than two hours, toss it.

No, orzo is a pasta made with flour so is not gluten free. That being said, there are great gluten free orzo brands on the market.

Yes! I love the little flavor that the soy sauce adds to this, but you can certainly omit it.

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Other Pasta Salad Recipes

Caprese Pasta Salad
Italian Pasta Salad
Crab Pasta Salad
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Ingredients

1 cup dry orzo cooked to package directions and rinsed with cold water (200 grams)
1 cup imitation crab pulled apart (115 grams)
1 cup cucumber cut into small long bite sized pieces, about 1/2 an English cucumber (140 grams)
1 avocado cut into small bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce plus more to taste
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

Instructions

In a medium sized bowl, combine the cooked orzo, crab, cucumber, and avocado. Toss to combine. 1 cup dry orzo, 1 cup imitation crab, 1 cup cucumber, 1 avocado
Stir in the olive oil, sesame oil, vinegar, and soy sauce. Finally, stir in the sesame seeds. 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

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