Lemon Orzo Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dry orzo
- 1/2 medium cucumber, deseeded and cubed
- 1/4 medium red onion, finely diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- Handful chopped parsley, minced
- Zest of one lemon (optional)
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Lemon garlic dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- Juice of one lemon
- 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tbsp agave syrup
- 1/4 tsp dry basil
- 1/4 tsp dry oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Cook orzo according to package recommendations and instructions. Drain the orzo, but do not rinse it! Just set it aside and prep the remaining ingredients.
To prepare your lemon garlic dressing, to a small bowl or jar combine olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, agave, basil, and oregano. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste.
Now, to a large bowl add in your orzo then add in cucumber, onion, tomatoes, almonds, nutritional yeast, chickpeas, parsley, lemon zest, red pepper flakes and pour over your dressing.
Toss the salad together to coat and mix ingredients well.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve.
To really allow the flavors to meld, I recommend chilling for at least an hour in the fridge before serving.
