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Tangy and herby lemon orzo pasta salad with asparagus and chickpeas. Topped with fried sage and pine nuts.
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Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad with Chickpeas & Asparagus

Easy, light, and delightful lemon orzo pasta salad with chickpeas, asparagus, pine nuts, and fried sage. This is a restaurant-worthy pasta salad that's so easy to make! Ready in 25-minutes; enjoy it mid-week, prepare for potlucks, or meal-prep! It's the perfect vegan pasta salad for summer!
Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, North American
Diet Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 385kcal
Author Hannah Sunderani

Ingredients

Lemon Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp agave or maple syrup
  • pinch fine sea salt
  • pinch ground pepper

Pasta Salad:

  • 2 cups orzo (dried)
  • 3.5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup asparagus sliced into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 can (400g) chickpeas , strained and rinsed
  • 1 cup arugula
  • 2 green onions , finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup vegan feta cheese crumbled

Fried Sage:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 15 small sage leaves
  • ¼ cup pine nuts

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, agave, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Add the orzo and cook, stirring frequently for 8-10 minutes, until al dente. In the last 3-4 minutes of cooking, add the asparagus. Cook with the orzo until the orzo becomes pleasantly chewy and the asparagus has turned turn a bright vivid green, about 3 minutes. Cover the pot with a tea towel and set aside.
  • Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan. Add sage leaves and cook on low heat until crispy, 1-2 minutes. Transfer sage to paper towel. Then add the pine nuts to the frying pan and toast until perfumed and lightly golden, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Transfer the orzo and asparagus to a large mixing bowl and add the chickpeas, arugula, green onion and crumbled vegan feta. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and crispy sage. (Save a few leaves of sage for decorating).
  • Pour the lemon dijon dressing overtop and toss everything together. Top with the remaining crispy sage leaves. Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe will keep in fridge for up to 5 days. Store in an airtight container. 

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 735mg | Potassium: 222mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 583IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg