Description
This Kale Orzo Salad is a festive combo of roasted veggies, pistachios, dried cranberries and lots of herbs dressed in a maple lime vinaigrette. Easy to prep in advance for meals and pretty enough to entertain with.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 honeynut squash, peeled with seeds removed and cubed
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 6 large stalks of kale, stems removed and cut into bite size pieces
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dry thyme, optional
- Drizzle of high heat oil
- 1 cup dry orzo
- 1/3 cup parsley
- 1/3 cup pistachios, chopped
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 1–2 small cloves garlic, grated
- Zest and juice from one large lime, about 1 1/2 tablespoons
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Step: Preheat the oven to 425F. Dry the chickpeas well using a clean kitchen towel then add onto one large sheet pan along with the cubed squash. Generously drizzle with oil and season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat, spread the mixture out in a single layer and then place in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Step: Place your kale on a separate sheet pan, season with a pinch of salt and pepper. After the squash and chickpeas roast, give them a flip and place the tray back in the oven along with the tray of kale to roast for 7 minutes.
- Step: While baking, bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt generously then cook the orzo until al dente according to package instructions. Drain the pasta, place back in the pot. To prevent clumping, drizzle the pasta with a little olive oil and toss to coat.
- Step: Combine the dressing ingredients (shallot, garlic, lime, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, olive oil, and thyme) together in a jar or bowl and whisk or shake until emulsified.
- Step: To a large salad bowl add the kale, orzo, roasted squash and chickpeas, parsley, pistachios, and dry cranberries. Drizzle the dressing overtop and then toss the salad until everything is coated evenly and well distributed.
Notes
Do not rinse the pasta after draining. Combine warm orzo with dressing to better absorb flavors. You can swap orzo for quinoa, farro, or barley. For best roasting results, spread vegetables and chickpeas in a single layer; place squash cut side down for even browning.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 410 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: kale, orzo, salad, maple lime vinaigrette, vegan, roasted squash, chickpea salad