Orzo Primavera Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 pound orzo pasta cooked, rinsed and drained well
- 1/2 orange bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 head broccoli cut into florets, blanched
- 1 cup frozen green peas blanched
- 1/4 cup red onion chopped
- 6 large kale leaves stemmed and chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup dill chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- pepper to your liking
- 1 lemon squeezed
- 8 cherry tomatoes halved
- 10 kalamata olives chopped
Pesto
- 1 cup brazil nuts
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 lemons juiced
- 2 tbsp sweet white balsamic vinegar
- 6 basil leaves
- handful parsley
- handful dill
- 3 sprigs oregano
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Preparation
Pesto
Blend the brazil nuts, garlic, water, lemon juice, sweet white balsamic vinegar, basil, parsley, dill, oregano, and nutritional yeast together until smooth.
Salad
Cook orzo according to package directions. Add broccoli florets to the cooking pasta for the last 1-2 minutes. Drain well and rinse with cold water.
Make the herby pesto and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the kale with salt and lemon juice and massage gently. Then add the orzo, broccoli, orange bell pepper, green peas, parsley, dill, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and the herby pesto.
Mix well and taste for salt. Add more salt if desired.
