If you have any fresh herbs lying around in your kitchen and you’re not sure what to do with them, this Green Goddess Orzo Salad is the answer.
The herbs are blended to make a simple green sauce that is served with orzo with a selection of green veggies. It works really well as a weekday lunch with a protein of choice.
This is recipe number 30 in my Fifty Fantastic Salads series. You’ll find links to some of the others at the bottom of the page.
Nutrition highlights:
✔️ Fibre from all the green veggies
✔️ Healthy fats from olive oil and pine nuts
✔️ Antioxidants and micronutrients from fresh herbs
✔️ B12 from nutritional yeast
What ingredients do you need for a Green Goddess Orzo Salad?
- Orzo
- Peas
- Broccoli
- Green beans
- Rocket
Green dressing:
- Mixed herbs (such as parsley, basil, mint)
- Walnuts or pine nuts
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Nutritional yeast
- Water
- Salt and pepper
What are some of the nutritional benefits of the main ingredients?
Peas
A great source of plant-based protein, peas also contain fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K and B vitamins, making them a great addition to your diet.
Green vegetables
Broccoli, beans or your green veg of choice adds antioxidants, vitamin C, folate and fibre.
Rocket (arugula)
Rocket is rich in phytonutrients and minerals, with a naturally bitter flavour that can help stimulate your digestive enzymes.
Green dressing (herbs, nuts, olive oil, garlic, nutritional yeast)
Fresh herbs bring antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Olive oil and nuts add healthy fats, while nutritional yeast is a source of B vitamins.
Storage and Shelf Life
This Green Goddess Orzo Salad can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- For best freshness, store in an airtight container. Keep the dressing separate if you going to store longer than one day.
- I wouldn’t recommend freezing.
Recipe Tips:
Make it nut-free: Swap walnuts or pine nuts for sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
Vary the greens: Use asparagus, courgette, or kale depending on the season.
Add extra protein: Serve with your protein of choice.
Make it gluten-free: This salad also works really well with quinoa too.
If you enjoyed this Green Goddess Orzo Salad, why not try:
Roasted Beetroot Salad with Figs
Green Goddess Orzo Salad
Ingredients
Salad ingredients
- 1 cup orzo (190g)
- 1½ cups peas (195g)
- 1 cup green veggies (about 100g) I used broccoli and green beans
- 2 handfuls of rocket
Dressing ingredients
- 1 cup mixed herbs (30g)
- ¼ cup walnuts or pine nuts (30g)
- ¼ cup olive oil (60ml)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 3 tbsp water
Instructions
- Bring two pans of water to the boil. Add the orzo to one pan and bring back to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer until soft – it only takes about 8-9 minutes.
- In another pan add the peas, broccoli and beans. Cook for about 5 minutes until tender.
- Whilst the orzo is cooking make the dressing by adding all the ingredients to a blender and season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. I add 3 tbsp of water to thin it a bit, but you could add more oil.
- Once the orzo and vegetables are ready, drain and rinse under cold water. Add them to a large serving bowl with rocket leaves. Pour over the dressing and mix well.
Notes
- This will store in the fridge for about 3 days. I would recommend keeping the dressing separate if you are going to store and adding just before serving.
- I don’t recommend freezing.
- You can use any green veggies you like.
- For the herbs, I used a mixture of oregano, coriander (cilantro) and parsley. Basil would work well too.
- If preferred, you can swap the nutritional yeast for parmesan cheese or the orzo for quinoa.
0 Comments