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.
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.
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.
FAQ
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.
Other Pasta Salad Recipes
If you make this California roll pasta salad or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment letting me know how you enjoyed it.
California Roll Pasta Salad
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
rachelle says
This is so creative and sounds great! I will definitely make it.
Megan @ Pip and Ebby says
I’m so much like you when it comes to my boys. I never push anything that signifies getting bigger (unless it’s unhealthy, of course). I kept my boys in a crib till the day they turned three. I never correct their improper usage of words. I want to enjoy all of it and bottle it up! I get it! :)
This salad looks delicious! I love California Rolls and never thought to turn it into a salad. Yum! Thanks for the great recipe.`
Right?? My 4 year old still says Pampakes. I can’t get enough of it!
Meliss says
I have a question about how long this keeps. The post says to make a big batch and take for lunch all week, but the directions say serve immediately or refrigerate up to 24 hours. I don’t see why it wouldn’t keep a little longer, but was just curious as to the wording. (Actually my grandma caught it and now I want to know LOL)
Meliss! You are totally right! Tell your grandma that I hope when I’m a grandma I’m as sharp as she is. So here’s the deal: I totally forgot I wrote that in the post when I posted it again on FB. I personally *would* eat it all week. But I feel like I have to be really careful in what I advise people to do in my posts. You know? I say use your best judgement.
Tara says
How does the avocado not turn brown? Letting it sit for a bbq worries me that it will not look so nice.
Hi Tara! When I made it, there was a little browning, but it was minimal because of the dressing. You could always make it ahead of time and then cut up the avocado and throw it on at the last minute!
Dena says
I don’t know how I stumbled across your page, but I’m so glad I did!! This recipe is H.E.A.V.E.N.! I made it today for a 4th of July party with my family. I tasted it and immediately threw my spoon clear across the room into the sink! Otherwise, I would have eaten the whole bowl and shown up empty handed. Instead of adding a little salt to it for flavor, I put out Soy Sauce for them to add to their own. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! Happy 4th of July!
Thank you so much for coming back to tell me this Dena!
Lisa says
I am excited to make this. Would it alter the taste too much if I leave out the sesame seeds? Thank you!
No! It will still be delicious. The sesame oil brings a lot of that flavor.