Avocado Orzo Pasta with Swiss Chard & Chickpeas

With springtime close at our heels, I felt inspired to usher in the impending greenery and vernal luster with this orzo recipe vegan (and non-vegan) people will salivate over. Avocado-infused orzo pasta, cooked just to al dente, serves as the bed for lightly wilted fresh swiss chard, as well as simple cast-iron skillet sautéed lemon pepper chickpeas and a dusting of vegan parm.

Orzo Recipe Vegan-Style: Ingredient List

• 1 cup dry orzo pasta
• 1 bunch rainbow chard
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans, if you didn’t know!)
• 2 garlic cloves
• Dash of lemon pepper
• Dash of salt
• 1 large avocado
• Juice from ½ lemon + zest
• ⅓ cup artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup Kalamata olives
• Some Violife Just Like Parmesan Wedge

Orzo Recipe Vegan-Style: How To

This is a fairly simple orzo recipe vegan (and non-vegan) people will love. Here’s how you make it.

1. In a large pot, set about 5 quarts of water to boil (seasoned with salt). Once the water is boiling, cook 1 cup dry orzo pasta for about 9 minutes, or until al dente (check your package instructions, in case they differ). Drain the pasta into a fine-meshed sieve over a large bowl in order to save all the pasta water.
2. Meanwhile, in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat with 2 teaspoons olive oil, sauté the chickpeas (drained, washed and dried) with the minced garlic, lemon pepper and salt, until the garlic has browned and the chickpeas are slightly crispy, about 5 – 7 minutes.
3. Next, place the ribbons of swiss chard in a steam basket, and place it in the pot you used to cook the orzo. Pour the pasta water that you salvaged from cooking the orzo over the swiss chard, cover the pot with a lid, and let the leafy greens wilt for at least 5 minutes, until slightly tender but not too soft.
4. Lastly, mash a large avocado on a plate with a fork. Then, combined the cooked orzo, mashed avocado, lemon zest and juice in a large mixing bowl. Mix gently until the orzo has turned a light green and everything is cohesive. Then add the artichoke hearts and Kalamata olives, and mix once more.To serve, scoop a hefty serving of the pasta on a bowl, followed by some strips of wilted swiss chard, and topped by the sautéed chickpea and garlic. Garnish with grated Violife Parm.

Possible Substitutions?

• Another Kind of Leafy Green

Instead of swiss chard, feel free to use whatever green you have on hand that has a similar texture, such as spinach, kale, beet greens, a mixture of microgreens, or arugula. I prefer swiss chard because it wilts very easily, and still has a crunch even after being wilted a bit, which gives this orzo pasta dish a lil’ more texture.

• Another Kind of Long Pasta or Grain

Personally, I think that texture and shape of orzo is a big part of what makes this recipe work well, but I understand that there are those – particularly people with gluten-intolerances – who want alternatives to wheat-based pastas. If that’s the case, then a long-grain brown rice, or any grain similar in size and shape, could work in orzo’s stead.

• Regular Ground Black Pepper

I don’t think that many people have heard of lemon pepper, and I don’t blame you if you don’t want to go to the store and search around the never-before-graced nooks and crannies of the spice isle to find it. Even so, I do think that lemon pepper adds a unique note to the sautéed chickpeas that compliments the lemony avocado orzo. Nevertheless, if you can’t find lemon pepper, or just can’t fathom it amongst the ranks in your spice rack, just use good ol’ ground Tellicherry black pepper instead.

Got the Orzo Recipe Vegan-Style Bug?

Check out this LEMON ORZO SOUP WITH BOK CHOY AND “CHEATBALLS” !!!

I hope that you enjoy this orzo recipe vegan-style. If you do, consider leaving a recipe rating and/or comment before you go.

May you have good food in good company,

That Vegan Nephew