I honestly cannot believe I haven’t shared an orzo recipe with you yet!
Does this all sound familiar?
Orzo was one of my mom’s staples growing up…
Complete with olive oil, lots of garlic (I mean lotss of garlic), tomatoes, feta, and mint.
I enjoyed this cozy, simple dish at the time, but had to give it a little makeover of course.
Add some protein and more veggies, plus nix the garlic—stomach problemos, you know.
But you could certainly keep the garlic trend going if that’s your thing!
All you have to do is boil up a pot of orzo, then saute red bell peppers, artichoke hearts, crushed red pepper flakes, a splash or two of dry white wine, pleasantly salty Kalamata olives, dried oregano, and chickpeas.
Then mix everything together along with fresh lemon zest and juice, baby spinach, juicy tomatoes, Italian parsley and fragrant basil, creamy vegan feta, freshly cracked black pepper + pink sea salt.
Spoon up a generous bowl then dig in!
P.S. If you’re a gluten-free individual, simply use your fave gluten-free pasta… preferably something orzo-like.
P.P.S. This recipe makes great leftovers so embrace the next-day lazy lunch! I would recommend enjoying hot or room temp. Although cold is chill too.
P.P.P.S. Add some toasted pine nuts for even more flavor—and that nice crunch factor.
Vegan Mediterranean Orzo with Chickpeas & Feta
Ingredients
- Salt, for pasta water
- 1 1/2 cups orzo
- Oil, for pasta water (I used avocado oil)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup roughly chopped canned artichoke hearts (1 14-ounce can, packed in water, drained and gently squeezed dry)
- 3/4 cup diced red bell pepper
- Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or leftover Prosecco
- 1/3 cup roughly chopped Kalamata olives
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 1/4 cup chickpeas (1 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed)
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups roughly chopped fresh baby spinach
- 3/4 cup sliced cherry tomatoes, or diced heirloom tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1/4 cup chiffonade fresh basil
- 1/2 cup crumbled vegan feta (I like Trader Joe's block packed in water)
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Pink sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot to a boil, then salt and add the orzo, plus a splash of oil. Cook for 8 to 9 minutes, or according to package instructions. Drain and return to pot.
- Meanwhile, heat a medium-large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, then saute the bell peppers and artichokes for 2 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and saute for another minute before stirring in the wine. Saute for a few more minutes or until the wine has mostly cooked off. Stir in the olives, oregano, and chickpeas, then heat until warmed through.
- Fold the veggie mixture into the cooked orzo, followed by the lemon zest and juice, spinach, tomatoes, parsley, and basil. Stir in the feta, then season with salt and black pepper to taste.