Lemony And Creamy Orzo With Chickpeas

This orzo with chickpeas recipe is incredibly creamy and especially perfect for a delicious spring or summer meal. It’s very similar to risotto, but made with orzo pasta instead. What makes this recipe great is the fact that it is a one-pot meal, easy to make and high in protein. I have no doubt that this will become one of your new favorite recipes! It has certainly made it’s way into our weekly mealplan routine.

Can food be indulgent and healthy at the same time? Absolutemente it can. And what better way to prove this point than providing you with a recipe that is exactly that. This orzo with chickpeas recipe is indulgent, but at the same time packed with vegetables, chickpeas, hazelnuts and a lot of anti-oxidants. For me, this recipe makes me feel like I’m in (southern) Italy, even though I know coconut milk is not by any means a traditional Italian ingredient. Actually, this is not the first and probably not the last time I’m going to piss of some Italian people with one of our recipes. I promise, I’m not deliberately trying to crawl under your sun-tanned skins. Back on topic, this is a recipe you will absolutely not regret making.

• Orzo – a small pasta shape that looks quite similar to rice. Perfect for salads or light stews such as this one.
• Frozen peas – one ingredient we basically always have in our freezer because they are so versatile, healthy and easy to use.
• Chickpeas – you might not think of chickpeas straight away when thinking of Italian cuisine, but it’s actually quite a common ingredient. Historically, chickpeas were often eaten by those from poorer regions in Italy because they were (and still are) cheap, but could somewhat resemble a meaty texture. Pasta a ceci for example is a well-known traditional Italian dish with pasta and chickpeas.
• Lemon – really makes this recipe shine and adds a lovely citrus flavour. When you think if southern Italy in spring and/or summer, you can’t help but think of those beautiful lemons (I can instantly picture the Amalfi coast right now). Cooking and of course eating this recipe makes me feel like I’m there for a bit.
• Hazelnuts – might seem like a little bit of an odd ingredient in this recipe, but I promise you they make an already delicious recipe taste just that little bit better. It’s like back at school when you thought you did well on a test, but it turned out you did even better. That’s what the hazelnuts do when you sprinkle them on top of this orzo with chickpeas recipe.

• Don’t rush it when you are sauteing the vegetables. You really want to give them time to start to soften without browning them. Just be patient, you will be rewarded for it.
• If you are worried about salt consumption, opt for using water over broth or make sure you buy stock with less salt.
• When the orzo with chickpeas is bubbling away with the lid on top, make sure you stir every couple of minutes and really scrape the bottom to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom and burning.

• Orzo – if you wish, you can use any other type of small pasta. You can even make this recipe with rice instead of orzo.
• Hazelnuts – if you are allergic to hazelnuts or nuts in general, this recipe is still delicious without them. However, you could subsitute them by using some crispy baked breadcrumbs. If you do want to use any other type of nut, some roasted almonds or pine nuts would be particularly great substitutions.
• Mint – use any sort of fresh herb you like (I’m sure you understand using cilantro wouldn’t be the best idea here). Parsley, basil and sage are all great options.

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