This Creamy Spinach Lemon Orzo makes the perfect weeknight meal, it’s super simple to whip up and it’s super delicious! It’s a super green orzo, made with a spinach sauce and paired with leeks and peas.
I love orzo pasta because it cooks super quickly and it can be used to make a risotto style dish. This dish is comforting, filling and creamy.
I’ve been making this vegan orzo recipe on repeat! It’s so satisfying and it comes together very quickly!
What you need for these easy vegan spinach orzo recipe:
- Orzo, also called risoni. It’s a type of pasta made from durum wheat that looks like rice. You can find it in the pasta section in the supermarket
- Green vegetables: leeks and peas for added colour, nutrients and protein.
- Frozen spinach: I’m using frozen spinach because I always have it in the fridge and find it super convenient but you can also use fresh spinach.
- Aromatics: onions and garlic, where everything starts.
- Basil: It adds nice kick to the spinach sauce
- Lemon juice: It brightens up the dish up and provides a nice freshness.
- Olive oil: one of my essential ingredients as always
- Nutritional yeast of vegan parmesan: for a cheesy note
- Miso paste: for the umami
- Vegetable stock: to cook the pasta in more flavour
- Salt and pepper
Creamy Vegan Spinach Orzo Instructions
- Heat up some olive oil in a pan on low/medium heat. Add diced onion and garlic and cook for 5-8 minutes. Add leeks, the dark green part first, then the whiter ones.
- In the meantime in a blender add cooked spinach, basil, nutritional yeast, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and some water if necessary.
- Add peas to the pan, the orzo pasta, enough vegetable stock to cover the orzo and miso paste. Let it cook for 2 minutes less than the package says, stir in the spinach sauce and continue cooking until it’s ready.
- Serve and season with some more olive oil and walnuts.
Some tips
- Do no add too much water. It’s better to add less water and add it later, to avoid the orzo becoming mushy or overcooked
- Stir frequently, to make sure the orzo doesn’t stick to the pan and keep the heat low/medium the heat.
FAQS
How long does it last in the fridge?
You can keep this creamy vegan spinach orzo in the fridge for 3-4 days. Allow it to cool down then transfer to a container, cover and keep it in the fridge. When you reheat it, you might want to add some liquid
What is the ratio of orzo to water?
The orzo is usually 1:2, for one cup orzo you need 2 cups water. Although I recommend to use a bit less and add more if necessary.
Can I use rice instead?
You can use risotto rice but it will take longer to cook, about 18 minutes instead of 10 and the result will be different.
Should orzo be rinsed before cooking?
No, Orzo is a type of pasta and it does not need to be rinsed
Should orzo be soft when cooked?
Yes, orzo is soft when cooked, but it should not be mushy.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
I love to see recreations and share them!
VEGAN SPINACH LEMON ORZO RECIPE
Creamy Vegan Spinach Lemon Orzo
Ingredients
- 150 g orzo (risoni)
- 2 small leeks sliced (I use the whole leek)
- 1 small white onion diced
- 1 garlic clove cut in half
- 5-6 cubed frozen spinach cooked
- 6-7 fresh basil leaves
- 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast of vg parmesan
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 tsp miso paste
- 300 ml vegetable stock
Toppings
- olive oil
- walnuts
Instructions
- Heat up some olive oil in a pan on a low/medium heat. Add diced onion and garlic and cook for 5-8 minutes. Add leeks, the dark green part first, then the whiter ones.
- In the meantime in a blender add cooked spinach, basil, nutritional yeast, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and some water if necessary.
- Add peas to the pan, the orzo pasta, enough vegetable stock to cover the orzo and miso paste. Let it cook for 2 minutes less than the package says, stir in the spinach sauce and continue cooking until it’s ready.
- Serve and season with some more olive oil and walnuts.
