Pesto Orzo Salad

A refreshing orzo salad with broccolini, asparagus, and a creamy, oil-free almond pesto. Perfect for a nutritious meal.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Cover the almonds in boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain, peel off the skin (it should come off easily) and set aside.

Step 2

Cook the orzo in a large pot of salted water according to the packet instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Step 3

Trim off the bottom fibrous part of the asparagus. Chop the rest of the asparagus into bite-size pieces, keeping the heads whole.

Step 4

Trim off the bottom fibrous part of the broccolini. Chop the rest into bite-size pieces.

Step 5

Prepare a medium saucepan with water and bring to a soft boil. Prepare a large bowl filled with ice water.

Step 6

Cook the asparagus and broccolini in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to iced water for two minutes, then drain again. This process is called blanching, and it prevents the vegetables from overcooking while retaining a vibrant green color.

Step 7

Prepare the dressing: In a small blender, add the almonds, garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, chili flakes, salt, pepper, and basil. Blend until perfectly smooth. Add a little more milk if necessary (this will depend on your blender).

Step 8

In a large salad bowl, combine the rocket, butter beans, orzo, tomatoes, broccolini, asparagus, shallots, olives, pine nuts, and the dressing. Adjust salt to taste, and enjoy!

↑Support creators by visiting their site 😊