Lemon Basil Orzo with Arugula, Peas, and Cucumber
Last Updated on July 4, 2024
This Lemon Basil Orzo with Arugula, Peas, and Cucumber is the most delicious pasta salad! Toss cooked gluten-free orzo with fresh baby arugula, peas, cucumber, sunflower seed parmesan cheese in an easy homemade Lemon Basil Tahini Dressing and serve this vegan dish warm or chilled!
Wowwww 🤩 This Lemon Basil Orzo with Arugula, Peas, and Cucumber exceeded my expectations by far! I’m so excited to share this orzo recipes with you today!
The Orzo
So first things first, let’s talk about the orzo. It wasn’t until the last few years that I discovered gluten-free orzo, a couple of brands have finally made it available! In this orzo recipe I used Andean Dream Quinoa and Rice Organic Orzo. If you can’t find either in stores, check on Amazon.
You’ll want to cook the orzo according to package directions, drain, rinse and then place it into a large bowl and set aside. The rest of the ingredients in this Lemon Basil Orzo with Arugula, Peas, and Cucumber include frozen peas, lemon juice and zest, mini cucumbers, baby arugula, and fresh basil.
The Lemon Basil Tahini Dressing
While the orzo is boiling, make the delicious Lemon Basil Tahini Dressing! I originally wasn’t going to add basil in this dressing, but I’m so glad I did! It’s so so good 🍃. I use tahini a lot in my recipes- it just adds such a delicious flavor! In this recipe I used Soom Tahini, it’s so smooth and creamy- definitely one of my favorite tahini brands. The tahini makes this Lemon Basil Orzo with Arugula, Peas, and Cucumber so creamy! I love it!
All you have to do is blend together tahini, lemon juice, fresh basil, garlic, agave syrup, dijon mustard, avocado oil, salt, pepper, and plant milk. Yum 🍋🌱
This dressing is adapted from my Lemon Basil Vinaigrette Dressing with addition of tahini.
The Sunflower Seed Parmesan Cheese
Over the years I have come to prefer making my own vegan parmesan cheese at home with just a few ingredients. I ALWAYS have this stocked in my fridge. We use it on avocado toast, pasta, soup, sprinkled on pizza… you name it… I mean, it’s the best! My son said it’s his favorite “cheese”!
In this Lemon Basil Orzo with Arugula, Peas, and Cucumber recipe I’m using raw sunflower seeds to keep this recipe nut-free, but you can also use cashews. Simply add the sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and salt in a food processor or blender and blend until you achieve a finely ground texture. Read more about my Homemade Vegan Parmesan Cheese in a separate blog post.
How To Enjoy This Orzo Dish
When I set out to make this recipe, I had fully intended this Lemon Basil Orzo with Arugula, Peas, and Cucumber to be a salad recipe- which it can be served chilled as a pasta salad, however, after trying it both ways, I much preferred it served immediately, warm.
That is one of the best things about this orzo recipe is that it can be served warm or chilled, but also that the only cooking required is the orzo, and microwaving the frozen peas. Easy PEASy 😉 Then just toss everything together in a bowl with the Lemon Basil Tahini Dressing, serve and enjoy!
You can enjoy this orzo recipe as a main dish, with your choice of protein on top, or you can even just make it as a side salad. Though this recipe is much better enjoyed right away, you could make it a couple hours ahead of time. I actually made it a couple hours ahead of time so I had enough light to take photos and then served it for dinner. I’ll admit, I enjoyed it much more right after I made it, but it was great for dinner too, and the whole family love it.
I hope you love this healthy, green Lemon Basil Orzo with Arugula, Peas, and Cucumber for a quick and easy vegan recipe! Let me know what you think down below in the comments section, as well as giving it a five star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ so that others can discover this gluten-free orzo recipe! Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Lemon Basil Orzo with Arugula, Peas, and Cucumber
This Lemon Basil Orzo with Arugula, Peas, and Cucumber is the most delicious pasta salad! Toss cooked gluten-free orzo with fresh baby arugula, peas, cucumber, sunflower seed parmesan cheese in an easy homemade Lemon Basil Tahini Dressing and serve this vegan dish warm or chilled!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces gluten-free orzo pasta
- 2 cups fresh baby arugula (or regular arugula)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup sliced cucumbers (about 2-3 mini cucumbers)
- 1 tablespoon chopped basil leaves
- 1/3 cup vegan parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 1 large lemon)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Lemon Basil Tahini Dressing
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon plant milk
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup tahini
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- water to thin
Instructions
- Cook the orzo according to package directions. While the orzo is cooking, blend together all of the dressing ingredients until smooth. In a bowl or measuring up, add the frozen peas and cover with water. Microwave the peas for about 2 minutes and let them sit in the water while you prepare the rest. Slice the cucumbers. Drain and rise the orzo and add it to a large bowl. Add the arugula, drained peas, cucumber slices, lemon zest, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and half of the dressing to the bowl and toss to combine, adding more dressing as needed. Enjoy right away or cover and serve up to 2 hours later. Reserve some dressing if serving later in case it soaks up.
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About the author
Gina Fontana
Gina Fontana is a certified health coach, recipe developer, food photographer, published author, and blogger. Her own personal health challenges led her to a gluten-free, vegan, plant-based lifestyle where she found significant improvement in her symptoms. Her passion and mission is to now share that with others who also need (or want) to pursue a healthier lifestyle.
In the post you mention Dijon mustard and plant milk for the dressing but it’s not included in the ingredient list. Makes me wonder if you’ve swiped content from someone else without proof reading. But I’ll give the benefit of the doubt and just ask for clarification.
Hi Amy, thanks for asking for clarification. All the recipes are 100% my own… I would never take someone else’s recipes without noting that. It was a simple proof reading error and I apologize. I will edit the recipe right now, thanks for pointing that out.