Three pea & orzo pistacho pesto salad

Name: Three pea & orzo pistacho pesto salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Italian, European, Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1⁄3 cup (130 g) pistachios; 2 to 3 garlic cloves; 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 2 cups (60 g) packed fresh basil; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable broth, divided; Pepper to taste; Salt to taste; 4 cups water; 1 cup (140 g) green peas (defrosted if frozen); 11⁄2 cups (255 g) cooked chickpeas (see method) or one 15-ounce (425 g) can, rinsed and drained; 11⁄2 cups (265 g) cooked black-eyed peas or one 15-ounce (425 g) can, rinsed and drained; 1 cup (100 g) sliced sun-dried tomatoes (if hard, rehydrated in water until softened) 1⁄2 batch Tofu Feta

3 steps

Prep:10minCook:10min

Whether you’ve never had an orzo and pesto salad or have been known to buy it in quart-size containers and eat half with a plastic spork on your way home, you’ll love my veganized recreation. This version of that classic deli salad features three types of peas for added protein. The pesto is made with pistachios rather than with pine nuts, which makes for a less bitter, more buttery flavour. The addition of Tofu Feta and sun-dried tomatoes will take you right back to the deli days. I’m sure you’ll eat it with a normal utensil, though. VARIATION To make this gluten-free, replace the orzo with quinoa, millet, or rice.

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 08:47:09 GMT

Nutrition balance score

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Ingredients

4 servings

Pesto

⅓ cuppistachios

2garlic cloves

2 tablespoonsnutritional yeast

1 tablespoonlemon juice

60gfresh basil

packed

2 tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoonsvegetable broth

Salad

4 cupswater

1 cupgreen peas

defrosted if frozen

5 ½ cupscooked chickpeas

rinsed and drained

265gblack-eyed peas

cooked, can, rinsed and drained

1 cupsun-dried tomatoes

sliced, if hard, rehydrated in water until softened, 1/2 batch Tofu Feta

Instructions

Step 1

1. To make the pesto, place the pistachios and garlic in a food processor and process until crumbled. Add the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, basil, and oil and process until smooth. Add the broth by the tablespoon to thin the sauce to your desired thickness. Taste and add the salt and pepper. Set aside.

Step 2

2. Bring the water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the orzo and cook until lightly tender, 8 to 9 minutes. Drain off the water, rinse the orzo in cold water, and drain again.

Step 3

3. Combine the orzo with the peas, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, and sun-dried tomatoes. Toss with the pesto. Serve at room temperature or chill until ready to serve. Serve topped with Tofu Feta.