When it comes to creating and sharing recipes, fall is my happy place. Maybe it’s the pumpkin; perhaps it’s my nesting instinct kicking in hardcore. Whatever it is, I am always inspired this time of year.

All this to introduce a recipe that is actually not autumn-ish at all. In fact, I created it over the summer. But I also think it’s perfect for this busy time of year. You’ve got grains (orzo), protein (chickpeas), and deliciousness (capers and olives). Deliciousness is important, am I right?

By the way, did you know naming recipes can be really, really hard? I mean, first, ideally you actually want to, you know, describe the dish. But sometimes a bunch of the ingredients deserve equal billing. And suddenly you have, like, four of the ingredients in the name of the recipe. Like with this chickpea orzo salad. Oh hey! Maybe I should have just called it “chickpea orzo salad.” … but I’ve already created one orzo salad with chickpeas already and, considering how much I like the combo, it’s probably going to keep happening. So here we have a chickpea orzo salad with a bit of a Greek side – black olives, capers, oregano. Hence “Greek-ish Orzo Salad.”

Gosh, that was uninteresting.

But I promise, this salad is not! It is the opposite! It is interesting!

It’s really full of flavor – hearty with bits of salty, tangy from the dressing but with the perfect balance of salt/sweet. I adore the kalamata olives and capers. My thought was that so many orzo salads call for feta. And feta is glorious and all but it’s often made with cow’s milk. No bueno for me. And besides, there are other ways to get that salty/tangy thing and keep the salad plant-based. (Oh hi, olives and capers!)

This is a perfect potluck salad, by the way. It’s hearty enough to stand in as a main dish for the vegans, but great for a side as well. I also love throwing it in a mason jar along with some greens like baby arugula or spinach for an easy, portable, satisfying lunch.

Note I don’t I actually throw it. That’d be messy.

Print

Orzo Chickpea Pasta Salad with Olives

A simple pasta salad with loads of flavor, and hearty enough to stand in as a main dish. The perfect potluck salad – or stick some in a mason jar for an easy portable lunch!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dry orzo pasta
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• 1/2 medium red onion diced
• 1/4 cup drained capers
• 1/2 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup*
• 2 tablespoons diced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste

Instructions

• Cook orzo according to package instructions. I like to salt the heck out of the water – once it tastes like ocean water, you’re there!
• Drain orzo and let cool.
• Add orzo to a medium mixing bowl along with the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Yep, that easy! Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and, well, serve!
• Keeps in a sealed container in the refrigerator for about 4 days.

Notes

* Vegan option

Use agave syrup instead of honey.

The post Orzo Chickpea Pasta Salad with Olives appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup Ingredients
• How to Make It
• Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup Variations
• Other Vegetarian Pasta Soup Recipes

• Jump Right to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read the Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

For awhile now, I’ve been dreaming of a sort of comforting lemony chicken soup situation … but with chickpeas instead of chicken because, you know, I’m a vegetarian and all that.

After I recovered from pneumonia, I finally worked up enough energy to make it happen yesterday and oh. Oh my. This Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup hit it out of the park.

This bright and comforting chickpea orzo soup reminds me a bit of this chickpea and rice soup, but this Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup comes across, to me, as a bit more special.

First, I keep the veggies a bit chunkier than my norm, with the goal of everything being about the same size as the chickpeas. It makes for a heartier soup with nice consistent bites.

But what happens to this bad boy at the end of the process is really where it’s at, because you stir in a bunch of freshly squeezed lemon juice and toss in a big handful of fresh dill and oh mama! Totally the clincher.

Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup Ingredients

• Olive oil – for sautéing the veggies which squeezes out so much flavor!
• Leek, carrot, and celery – You can substitute onion or scallions for the leek if you like! I just love how the leek adds mild oniony flavor and brings something a little more special to the table.
• Garlic – Two cloves, please, for maximum garlic flavor!
• Turmeric – I love adding turmeric to my brothy vegetarian soup recipes. It adds a bit of comforting color and a tiny kick.
• Vegetable broth – I like to use low-sodium veg broth so I can control the salt level of the recipe.
• Chickpeas – One can, or two cups cooked.
• Orzo – The tiny pasta is so good in soup!
• Salt & pepper – Because you can’t not.
• Fresh dill – SO GOOD in this recipe. Don’t skip it!
• Lemon – The acid brightens up this soup and makes it sing!

How to Make It

This Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup comes together so quickly on the stovetop!

Set a medium soup pot over low heat and sweat the veggies by sauteeing them low and slow until tender.

Add the garlic and turmeric and stir until fragrant.

Stir in the broth, chickpea, orzo, salt, and pepper. Increase the heat to get the flavors amplified and cook the pasta.

Then simply remove the soup from the heat and stir in all that aromatic fresh dill and the generous squeeze of lemon. And serve! YUM.

Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup Variations

• Use different beans: Use this basic formula but mix it up by swapping the chickpeas for another white bean like navy beans or cannellini beans.
• Nix the pasta: If you’re not feeling the pasta or can’t find orzo, you can stir in some cooked rice or quinoa.
• Swap the pasta: You can also add another small pasta like ditalini, stars, or alphabet pasta would be fun!

Other Vegetarian Pasta Soup Recipes

• This Vegetarian Chicken Noodle Soup is the chickpea noodle soup that most resembles classic chicken noodle. Perfect for a cold!
• This broth soba noodle soup with coconut milk, ginger, and turmeric is packed with spicy-savory flavor and is so healing.
• Thai Green Curry Noodle Soup is SUCH an easy soup recipe!
• Hearty Vegetarian Pasta e Fagioli with rosemary, garlic, and smoked paprika is a family fave!
• Vegetarian Minestrone Soup with pasta, beans, and veggies, and a parmesan-enhanced broth for SO MUCH FLAVOR.

Print

Lemony Chickpea Soup with Orzo & Dill Recipe

A hearty squeeze of lemon and loads of fresh dill liven up this chunky veggie, orzo, & chickpea soup.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 286kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium leek halved and sliced – about 1 cup chopped
• 1 medium carrot medium dice – about 1/2 cup
• 1 medium stalk celery sliced – about 1/2 cup
• 2 medium cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 15 ounces cooked chickpeas 1 can, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup uncooked orzo
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper + more to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh dill chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon about 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

• Set a medium soup pot over low heat. Add olive oil, leeks, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add garlic and turmeric and cook, stirring frequently, for one more minute.
• Add the vegetable broth, chickpeas, orzo, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the orzo is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Squeeze in the lemon juice and stir in the dill. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired (I add at least another 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt, but I like things on the salty side.)
• Serve with additional dill as garnish.

Notes

Note that this soup actually doesn’t keep all that well because the orzo continues to cook and swell up. It’s still perfectly edible, but the soup thickens quite a bit after it sits. If you want to make it ahead, I suggest cooking it up to the point where you add the orzo. When reheating, bring to a boil, add the orzo, and continue from there.

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Nutrition

Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 313mg | Potassium: 434mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 671IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 4mg

The post Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Last week, we received our first CSA box of the season. And it was a doozy! I plopped my little one on the kitchen counter and we pulled produce out of the box. Like a clown car, the fruits and veggies just kept coming. Oh, and allow me to brag for a moment: my toddler knew the names of most of them! “That’s asparagus!” So cute.

Now if she’d just eat some.

I’ve been wanting to come up with a new orzo salad (oh how I love this one), and as I pulled the cherries out of the box, I thought that fresh cherries might just be the inspiration ingredient I was waiting for.

So I cooked up some orzo, pitted my cherries, chopped some toasted hazelnuts, fresh mint, and scallions, and mixed it all together with a fresh honey-hazelnut vinaigrette. Cherry Hazelnut Orzo Salad was born – and that old favorite has been cast aside.

Okay, not really. My heart has doubled in size – I now love both orzo salads at the same time.

I love the toasty crunch of the hazelnuts, and the light hazelnutty flavor that just a touch of hazelnut oil imparts. The cherries add a nice, juicy sweet bite, and the scallions and mint add a fresh zestiness. “Fresh Zestiness” – that should be a band name.

This is one of those salads that tastes even better after it’s hung out for a while, so if you’re planning to bring it to a picnic or barbecue, that’s a total bonus. Just make it the day before and you won’t have to scramble the day-of. And your orzo salad will be even more delicious.

In our house, this salad will be an excellent addition to our “substantial sides” repertoire. It makes a terrific main dish for the vegetarian (moi), while it can act as a side for the carnivores.

Print

Cherry Hazelnut Orzo Salad

Tender al dente orzo pasta, sweet summer cherries, and crunchy hazelnuts make for a scrumptious seasonal salad. Perfect picnic or potluck dish, and easy to make ahead of time.

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Kare

Ingredients

Salad:

• 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt + 2 teaspoons olive oil for cooking the orzo
• 1/2 pound bing cherries pitted and cut in half or quarters
• 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts lightly chopped
• 2 medium scallions green onions, minced (about 3 tablespoons minced)
• About 12 fresh mint leaves chopped (about 1/4 cup chopped)
• Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon hazelnut oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

• Add 2 teaspoons kosher salt to a large pot of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add orzo and boil until al dente according to your package directions (about 9 minutes for mine). Drain and toss with 2 teaspoons olive oil to help prevent sticking. Set aside to cool.
• Once cool, pour orzo into a large bowl. Add cherries, hazelnuts, scallions, and mint. Toss gently to combine.
• Add all vinaigrette ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together until smooth. Pour over salad. Stir until salad is coated with the dressing. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if desired.
• Refrigerate sealed until ready to serve. Keeps refrigerated up to three days; if you prefer very crunchy hazelnuts, you may want to wait and add them right before serving.

The post Cherry Hazelnut Orzo Salad appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Protein-rich chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) and hearty orzo pasta provide the basis for this delicious meal-in-a-bowl. Sprinkle in fresh halved cherry tomatoes, sweet onion, chopped mint and basil, then dress with a lemon vinaigrette and you’ve got a simple – and simply winning – salad.

(Wow. The word “winning” just really doesn’t work anymore, does it? Thanks a lot, Charlie!)

(more…)

The post Orzo Salad with Chickpeas & Cherry Tomatoes appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.