Spring Chickpea Orzo Salad with Lemon Leek Dressing
This Spring Chickpea Orzo Salad pulls together some of the best seasonal gems like tender asparagus, peas, dill and feta. It's tossed with chickpeas and orzo, then dressed in the most luscious and flavorful lemon-leek vinaigrette. This easy side dish is bright and zesty, vegetarian and packed with fiber. You'll be craving it on repeat during the warm weather months!
Equipment
- can opener
- strainer
- medium pot
- large pan
- spatula
- small food processor or blender
- large salad bowl + tongs
Ingredients
For the Spring Chickpea Orzo Salad:
- 1 cup dry orzo *see note for GF suggestion
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 bunch asparagus ends trimmed, then cut on the bias (diagonal) into 1-1.5" pieces
- 1 can chickpeas drained & rinsed (15oz)
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
- ½ cup crumbled feta
- 3 tbsp chopped dill
- kosher salt & black pepper to taste
For the Lemon Leek Dressing:
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 leek (white & light green part only) thinly sliced**
- 1 large garlic clove (or 2 small), minced
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tbsp lemon zest
- ½ tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- ¼ cup olive oil
- kosher salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Season heavily with kosher salt, then add orzo and cook according to package instructions (typically about 9 minutes). Drain & rinse orzo under cold water.1 cup dry orzo
- While the orzo is cooking, bring a large pan to medium heat. Once hot, add avocado oil. Then add asparagus and season with kosher salt & black pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 6-7 minutes. Thicker asparagus spears will need a few more minutes. They should be soft, but not mushy. Remove from pan and set aside.1 tbsp avocado oil, 1 bunch asparagus, kosher salt & black pepper
- Bring pan back to medium heat and add more avocado oil. Then, add leeks, season with kosher salt & sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring often. Add in garlic and cook for 30 more seconds, until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool down for a few minutes.1 tbsp avocado oil, 1 leek (white & light green part only), 1 large garlic clove
- Transfer sautéed leeks and garlic to a small food processor or blender along with the lemon juice, zest, dijon mustard, honey, kosher salt & black pepper. Blend until the leeks are chopped up into small pieces, then with the food processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil until emulsified. It will look thick! Taste and adjust the amount of kosher salt & black pepper as needed.kosher salt & black pepper, 2 tbsp lemon juice, ½ tbsp lemon zest, ½ tbsp honey, 1 tsp dijon mustard, ¼ cup olive oil
- Add cooked & cooled orzo to a large salad bowl along with the sautéed asparagus, chickpeas, peas, feta and dill. Pour lemon leek dressing over top and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the amount of kosher salt & black pepper to your preference. Enjoy!1 can chickpeas, 1 cup frozen peas, ½ cup crumbled feta, 3 tbsp chopped dill
Video
Notes
*NOTE: To make this gluten free, simply swap in a gluten free orzo. A few that I like are Jovial cassava orzo, DeLallo gluten free orzo and Banza chickpea rice. **NOTE: Leeks can be pretty dirty inside, so I recommend adding the sliced leeks to a large bowl of cold water and swirling them around to release any dirt. Then, drain & pat dry before proceeding with the recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 418kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 240mg | Potassium: 501mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1535IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 5mg