Comforting and satisfying vegan weeknight dinner
Creamy vegan orzo recipe with roasted spring vegetables. Easy to make. Perfect dish to serve to impress a small dinner party. Healthy and delicious weeknight dinner idea.
Spring is in the air and I couldn’t be happier. Every winter I question why I choose to live in Michigan: A state that is one of the greyest and cloudiest during the winter.
Once spring hits, I begin to feel like a newly watered plant that has come back to life. I don’t realize how much the dark, cold days affect me until I feel that first touch of sunlight on a 70 degree day.
I love spring because it’s also my birthday season. It’s a time for regrowth and beginning again. I get excited for all of the new potential to learn and grow.
I also inevitably become more sociable when it’s warmer out. One of my favorite things to do is to host a small dinner party. I love sharing my love of vegan food with others.
This creamy orzo with roasted spring vegetables is an amazing dish to serve at a dinner party. I love serving a big bowl of pasta for dinner parties because it’s an affordable and easy way to feed a small group of people.
You can use whatever vegetables are in season and easy to get your hands on. What better way to celebrate each season than by centering meals around seasonal produce?
So grab some orzo, your favorite veggies and call up your friends. This creamy vegan orzo is sure to impress and satisfy everyone you share it with.
Speaking of sharing, share this recipe with someone who’d love to make this!
Leave me any questions or comments below.
Happy Munching!
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Creamy Vegan Orzo with Roasted Spring Vegetables
Ingredients
Cashew Cream Sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews (- soak in boiled water for 10 minutes)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube
- 1.5 lemons juiced
- 1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
Pasta & Vegetables
- 1 bunch of asparagus – cleaned and chopped small
- ½ sweet potato
- ½ medium red onion
- 1 cup of chickpeas – rinsed and drained
- 1 leek – rinsed and cleaned well and chopped small
- 1 tsp olive oil – (optional)
- Steak Seasoning to taste
- 2 cups dry orzo pasta
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
To make cashew cream sauce
- Boil some hot water and pour over raw cashews. Let sit for 10 minutes
- Drain the cashews and add all sauce ingredients to a blender.
- Blend until smooth
Pasta & Vegetables
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
- Clean & rinse vegetables, especially asparagus and leeks.
- Cut into bite sized pieces
- Lay vegetables out on baking tray. Add oil and steak seasoning and mix
- Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown
- Cook orzo on stove to according to directions
- Once cooked, drain and add back to pan.
- Add lemon juice, chickpeas, cashew cream and roasted vegetables
- Mix well, season to taste and ENJOY!
Notes
Once this sits for a bit it begins to thicken and dry out. Just add a little liquid to smooth it out again, especially when reheating
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Lori
The spring vegetables add texture and color. Delicious