Orzo Pesto Salad

Two salad jars with green oil-free pesto on the bottom, orzo, chopped cucumber, chopped tomato, red onion, and oil-free roasted chickpeas, and a wooden spoon.

5 from 9 votes

Orzo Pesto Salad is quick, easy and a complete meal. Make this salad in mason jars for lunch on-the-go. They're good for up to 4 days. Vegan, nut-free, budget-friendly, and healthy.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Main

Cuisine: Vegan

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 561kcal

Author: Nisha Melvani

Ingredients

1 cup dry orzo

For the lemon pepper chickpeas:

3 cups chickpeas 2(15-ounce) cans (or 3 cups cooked), drained, and rinsed
¼ cup lemon juice (about 2 small lemons)
2 teaspoons lemon zest (about 2 small lemons)
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper to taste

For the oil-free pesto:

4 cups packed fresh basil leaves
6 small cloves garlic
¼ cup fresh lemon juice plus more as needed (about 2 small lemons)
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds (optional)
1 teaspoon maple syrup plus more to taste (optional)

For the salad:

4 Roma tomatoes small dice
1 English cucumber diced (about 2 cups)
¾ cup diced red onion (about 1 small)
½ cup pitted Kalamata olives chopped
4 tablespoons hemp hearts (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Cook the orzo according to the directions on the packet until al dente. Rinse the pasta under cold water to cool before making the salad. (Toss with a light drizzle of olive oil if you plan on having leftovers or making salad jars.)
Roast the chickpeas (optional): Rub the chickpeas between the layers of a dish or paper towel to remove excess liquid. Place the chickpeas onto a large, non-stick rimmed baking sheet. Toss with the lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes, or until crispy and browned. Set aside to cool.
Drain tomatoes (optional): Meanwhile, transfer the chopped tomatoes to a strainer. Add a generous dash of salt and toss until evenly coated. Set aside over a bowl to drain. Reserve the liquid for the dressing.
Make the oil-free pesto: Meanwhile, add the basil, garlic, lemon juice, sunflower seeds, and ¼ cup water to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until smooth, adding the juice from the drained tomatoes, or more water as needed until the desired consistency. Add maple syrup, salt, and pepper to taste.
Make jars (optional): Place 4 (15-ounce) Mason jars in a row. Divide the dressing, orzo, cucumber, tomato, red onion, olives, chickpeas, and hemp hearts between each jar. Cover and refrigerate up to 4 days.
For serving:Jars: Invert the jar and shake it over a medium bowl. Mix to combine. Add salt, pepper, and more lemon juice to taste.
Skip the jars and combine the orzo, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, hemp hearts, and dressing in a large bowl instead. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Do not overcook the orzo. Cook it in salted water until al dente, drain in a sieve, and then run it under cold water. If you don't plan to eat this pesto orzo salad right away, it's best to add a drizzle of olive oil to the orzo so it doesn't clump together, but this is optional.
For the chickpeas: Roasting is optional, but adds a delicious crunch and lemon pepper flavor.
For the tomatoes: Salting the tomatoes removes excess liquid and improves the flavor. Add the drained juice to the dressing.
Storage: Refrigerate any remaining mixed orzo pesto salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The jars are good for up to 4 days.

Nutrition