Creamy Vegan Orzo with Roasted Spring Vegetables is a delicious and comforting dish that’s perfect for sharing with friends and family. Made with a rich and flavorful cashew cream sauce and roasted spring vegetables, this dish is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at any dinner party.
Jump to:
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s vegan and gluten-free, making it accessible to a variety of dietary needs.
- The combination of creamy cashew sauce and roasted spring vegetables creates a flavorful and satisfying meal.
- This recipe is easy to prepare and perfect for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion.
- This 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.
- It’s versatile and 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?
🍠 Ingredient Notes
- Raw cashews – When boiled and blended, cashews create a rich and creamy base for the orzo.
- Nutritional yeast – Adds a cheesy and savory flavor to the sauce.
- Vegetables – Asparagus, sweet potato, red onion, chickpeas, and leeks create a colorful and nutritious blend of roasted vegetables.
- Vegetable broth or bouillon -Aadds a nice rich depth of flavor to the orzo.
👩🍳 Tips for Success
- Use non-stick baking mat or parchment paper to make this recipe oil-free.
- The cashew cream sauce may thicken and dry out over time, so add liquid to smooth it out again when reheating.
🔪 Directions
Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and instructions!
- Soak cashews in hot water for 10 minutes before blending with other sauce ingredients.
- Roast vegetables with oil and seasoning in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
- Cook orzo pasta according to directions and mix in cashew sauce, roasted vegetables, chickpeas, and lemon juice.
- Season to taste and enjoy!
🥦 Variations
- Use different vegetables, such as broccoli or zucchini, in place of the roasted vegetables.
- Add your favorite herbs or spices to the dish to make it your own.
- Add in a homemade vegan pesto to add even more flavor.
🥄 Recommended Equipment
- Blender for creating the cashew cream sauce.
- Baking tray for roasting vegetables.
- Pot for cooking orzo pasta.
❄️ Storing and reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with added liquid to smooth out the sauce.
🥗 Serving Suggestions
- Top with fresh herbs, such as parsley or basil, for added flavor.
- Serve with a bright and delicious salad or garlic bread to round out the meal.
❓ FAQ’s
The orzo isn’t gluten free, but if you can find gluten free orzo or pasta, this recipe is gluten free.
You can substitute silken tofu for the cashews, or a can of white beans like great northern beans. Just blend it up with the rest of the ingredients.
Roasted cashews will create a different flavor for this recipe and I don’t recommend using them.
🍝 Try these recipes next
If you loved this recipe, leave a 5 ⭐️ rating on the recipe card and comment below!
📖 Recipe
Creamy Vegan Orzo with Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients
Cashew Cream Sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube
- 1½ lemons juiced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt
Pasta & Vegetables
- 1 bunch of asparagus (cleaned and chopped small)
- ½ sweet potato
- ½ medium red onion
- 14 can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
- 1 leek (rinsed and cleaned well and chopped small)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)
- Steak Seasoning to taste (or salt and garlic powder)
- 2 cups dry orzo pasta
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
To make cashew cream sauce
- Boil some hot water and pour over raw cashews. Let sit for 10 minutes1 cup raw cashews
- Drain the cashews and add all sauce ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth1 cup raw cashews, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 vegetable bouillon cube, 1½ lemons juiced, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon salt
Roast the vegetables
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
- Clean & rinse vegetables, especially asparagus and leeks. Cut into bite sized pieces1 bunch of asparagus, ½ sweet potato, ½ medium red onion
- Lay vegetables out on baking tray. Add oil and steak seasoning or salt & garlic powder and mix. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown1 leek, 1 teaspoon olive oil, Steak Seasoning to taste
Cook the orzo
- Cook orzo on stove to according to directions. Once cooked, drain and add back to pan.2 cups dry orzo pasta
Mix it all together
- Add lemon juice, chickpeas, cashew cream and roasted vegetables to the pan you cooked the orzo in. Taste and add more salt or seasonings if needed. Enjoy!2 tablespoons lemon juice, 14 can chickpeas
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