This vegan orzo salad is lemony, fresh, full of veggies, and perfect for spring and summer gatherings. Great as a side dish, or add chickpeas and call it lunch! Vegan and oil-free with nut-free and gluten-free options.
Cook orzo in salted water according to package directions, just until al dente. Do not overcook. Drain in a colander, toss and rinse with cold water until cool.
Place broccoli florets in a food processor, and pulse until uniformly broken down into small, rice-size pieces. If any larger pieces remain, dump everything into a bowl, and put the large pieces back in the food processor. Pulse again.
Pre-heat the now empty pasta pot over medium heat. Add broccoli rice to pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green, 3 to 4 minutes. The broccoli will become fragrant and smell slightly nutty or sesame-like. Season with sea salt. Remove from heat and let cool.
To make the dressing, in a blender combine ½ cup olive brine, ⅓ cup lemon juice, garlic, and pumpkin seeds (or cashews). Blend on high until smooth.
In the pasta pot or a very large mixing bowl, combine the orzo, broccoli rice, and about ⅔ of the dressing. Stir to combine. Fold in the cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and red pepper, if using. Taste, and add plenty of freshly cracked black pepper, if desired, as well as more dressing. Garnish with thinly sliced basil or chopped parsley and vegan feta, if using.
Notes
Selecting olives and brineI used 365 Whole Foods brand organic, pitted kalamata olives. If you're using the lemon-olive brine dressing included in the recipe, look for jarred olives with similar ingredients: kalamata olives, water, red wine vinegar, sea salt. StorageStore orzo pasta salad in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Because of the high water content of cucumber, it's best consumed within 1 to 2 days.