Celebrate the abundance of fresh seasonal produce by pairing it with orzo! The green goodies of springtime serve as both sauce and add-in’s, with the peas warming and cooking slightly from the heat of the orzo. It’ll be ready to dig in in no time.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp coarsely-chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
- 1-2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 ½ cups baby spinach leaves
- 1 ½ cups arugula, big stems trimmed
- 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Pinch dried thyme
- 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups hot cooked orzo (about 1 cup dry), cooked according to package instructions
- 1 cup shelled green peas (about ¾ lb unshelled)
Directions
- Process walnuts and garlic in food processor until minced. Add spinach, arugula, 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan, water, lemon juice, salt, pepper and dried thyme and process until finely minced. With food processor on, slowly pour olive oil through chute and process until well-blended.
- In a large bowl, toss together orzo and peas. Fold in pesto and top everything with additional grated Parmesan. Can be served hot, or room temp as a pasta salad.