Orzo is a confusing kind of pasta. Do you use it like you would rice? Or do you use it like you would pasta? The answer is, I have no clue, so do as you please. It’s been probably 15 years since I’ve bought a packet of Orzo, so I thought hey now hey now, why not try this little bad boy again? Enter my Vegan Lemon Orzo Salad with Chickpeas.
This pasta salad recipe is easy peasy LEMON ORZO squeezy, and packed full of delicious citrus and herb flavor. Think of it as an herbed Pilaf Rice, but with Pasta instead! Delicious! We start this Vegan Lemon Orzo Salad up by cooking some Orzo, draining it and then letting it cool slightly. Next up, an arsenal of veggies! In goes Chickpeas, diced Cucumber, Red Onion, Asparagus, chopped Baby Spinach and Parsley.Â
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If that mixture wasn’t fresh as fu*k enough, we now prepare a delicious Lemon Dressing that will gently caress our lovely Orzo Salad. Into a mixing bowl goes some Extra Virgin Olive Oil, the zest and juice of a couple Lemons, Dijon Mustard, Maple Syrup, minced Garlic, Salt and Pepper. Give all of that a saucy beating and there you have it, an amazing dressing with just the right amount of pucker.
This Orzo Salad is perfect for the lunch box, so make a vat of it on the weekend and ensure that you’ve got a delicious lunch for the next five days. Or if you’re like me, just eat out of the mixing bowl until you feel like you’re about to explode. Either or works. Scroll down to grab the full recipe for this Vegan Lemon Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, and tag me on Instagram if you try it out!
Vegan Orzo Salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz Dry Orzo Pasta 250g
- 1 can Chickpeas drained
- 1 medium Cucumber diced
- 1/2 Red Onion diced finely
- 2 bunches Asparagus lightly steamed and chopped into 2 inch pieces
- 2 cups Baby Spinach roughly chopped
- 1 cup Parsley roughly chopped
For The Dressing:
- 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 lemon zest
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Prepare your Orzo according to instructions on the packaging. Once cooked, drain and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine your Chickpeas, Cucumber, Red Onion, Asparagus, Baby Spinach and Parsley. Mix gently.
- Add cooled Orzo to the bowl, and gently mix to incorporate all ingredients.
- To prepare dressing, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Whisk well until you achieve a homogenous dressing.
- Dress your Orzo and Veggies with dressing, and toss gently to combine.
- Check for seasoning, and serve immediately.
- Leftovers can be kept in an air-tight box in the fridge for up to 1 week.
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