Orzo Pesto Chickpeas (Printable Version)
Every forkful brings zippy pesto, tender orzo, chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, and fresh greens together.
# Everything You’ll Need:
→ Salad
01 -
Salt and black pepper, add as much as you like
02 -
2 tbsp lemon juice
03 -
540 ml chickpeas from a can, rinsed and drained
04 -
40 g thin slices of red onion
05 -
60 g handful of arugula with spinach
06 -
160 g chopped cucumber
07 -
305 g halved cherry or grape tomatoes
08 -
275 g uncooked orzo pasta
→ Pesto
09 -
A big pinch of salt
10 -
⅓ cup olive oil, extra virgin
11 -
25 g spinach leaves
12 -
40 g basil or try 20 g basil with 15 g parsley together
13 -
1 tbsp lemon juice
14 -
15 g light miso paste
15 -
14 g nutritional yeast
16 -
2 peeled garlic cloves
17 -
⅓ cup pumpkin seeds, unroasted
# Steps to Cook:
01 -
Right after you’re done, dish it up and top with extra basil leaves, another squeeze of lemon, some more olive oil, and lots of cracked pepper if you dig that.
02 -
Drop all the pesto in with everything else and mix well so the pasta gets coated everywhere.
03 -
Grab a huge bowl. Dump in the chickpeas, onions, tomato halves, diced cucumber, lemon juice, orzo, greens, then sprinkle in the salt and pepper. Gently stir everything together so it looks great.
04 -
Add your pumpkin seeds, miso, basil, parsley, spinach, garlic, and nutritional yeast to a food processor. Throw in the lemon juice. Hit pulse till things look crumbly. Turn it on slow and stream in oil, pausing to scrape down the bowl, till it’s all creamy. Salt it how you like.
05 -
Fill a big pot with salted water, get it bubbling hot. Toss in the orzo. Give a good stir now and then. Cook until just tender using the time on the box. Drain and let the pasta cool off.
# Extra Suggestions:
01 -
Try swapping lemon juice for a splash of red or white wine vinegar if you want a twist.
02 -
Don’t have arugula-spinach? Go all-in with arugula, only baby spinach, or even some baby kale.
03 -
Stash leftovers covered in the fridge—they’ll stay nice for four days.