Meal Prep Series: Orzo Arugula Pasta Salad
My most popular salad recipe that is light, refreshing and flavorful
Hello Everyone!
Here's another meal prep idea for you! Today, I'm excited to share one of my most popular salad recipes that I often prepare for my clients.
It's light, refreshing, and the perfect way to pack in those veggies. I absolutely love this salad, especially during the spring and summer months.
What makes this salad a favorite is the combination of orzo pasta, chickpeas, arugula, and a light, refreshing turmeric vinaigrette.
Now some of you may be wondering, what is Orzo pasta?
Orzo is a type of pasta that is shaped like large grains of rice, though it is actually a form of pasta.
Orzo is typically made from durum wheat semolina and can be used in a variety of dishes.
It works well in soups, salads, or as a side dish, and can be cooked just like any other pasta, boiling it in water until it’s al dente.
It has a tender, yet slight bite, similar to small grains of rice, but lighter in taste and texture in my opinion. Because of its small, rice-like shape, orzo can absorb the flavors of whatever it's cooked with, whether it’s in a broth, sauce, or tossed in a salad.
When overcooked, it can become a little too soft, similar to pasta. For a salad, the perfect texture is al dente.
Even though this salad may not appear very filling, it's packed with plant-based protein from the chickpeas, hemp seeds, and topped with sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
One cup of chickpeas provides 15g of protein.
In addition to protein, chickpeas are an excellent source of fiber, iron, potassium, magnesium, and zinc. They’re one of my go-to plant-based proteins because of their versatility in various dishes.
Hemp seeds are another favorite plant-based protein of mine. They’re an excellent source of protein and offer a great plant-based option.
3 tablespoons of hemp seeds contains around 10 grams of protein.
Hemp seeds are also a complete protein, meaning they contain all 9 essential amino acids. These essential amino acids must be obtained through food, and they play a crucial role in building and repairing tissues, producing enzymes and hormones, and supporting immune function.
On a non-plant-based diet, complete proteins are found in animal sources like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy. The great thing is, you can replace these animal-based options with plant-based alternatives like hemp seeds and still get all the essential amino acids!
Hemp seeds also provide healthy fats, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, along with fiber.
I love hemp seeds because they’re so versatile and easy to incorporate into almost anything to boost your protein intake. I sprinkle them on salads, soups, mix them into smoothies, add them to chia seed pudding, and even use them to make salad dressings. They don't change the flavor of whatever you add them to, making them a perfect plant-based protein to keep on hand.
This salad is a great match with arugula for an extra boost of iron, though you can easily swap it for spinach if you prefer.
Personally, I think arugula complements this salad best with its distinctive, peppery flavor and subtle bitterness. It has a mildly mustardy, spicy taste, similar to radishes, but with a more delicate touch.
The bold flavor of arugula creates a delicious and balanced contrast to the milder ingredients in the salad, as well as the sweet and tangy vinaigrette.
Since this salad is loaded with iron, it’s important to incorporate ingredients high in Vitamin C.
Vitamin C is the key vitamin that helps with iron absorption. It enhances the body's ability to absorb non-heme iron (the type of iron found in plant-based foods).
The tomatoes and bell peppers in the recipe can significantly improve the absorption of iron when eaten alongside iron-rich foods like the chickpeas and arugula.
If you haven’t checked out the Welcome Meal Prep Series, I share my recommended supplies for meal prepping. I’ll link that newsletter right here for you to check out!
This Orzo Pasta Arugula Salad recipe can be found in the Wholesome Plant-based digital Cookbook on page 52 and the 30-Day Plant-based Challenge Week 3, on page 86.
If you don’t have access to either of these digital plant-based recipe resources, I’ve included a short video below to show you how to prepare the salad for meal prep. I won’t be sharing the vinaigrette recipe here, but feel free to use your favorite vinaigrette as a substitute if you prefer not to purchase the resources mentioned above.
I should mention that the turmeric vinaigrette recipe is a top favorite, specifically created to help reduce inflammation in the body. It’s definitely worth investing in, along with the many other delicious flavorful recipes available in the resources mentioned above.
Start by cooking the orzo pasta until al dente, then rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Once the orzo is ready, clean and chop all the veggies, and wash and drain the canned cooked chickpeas.
I highly recommend keeping the vinaigrette on the side rather than mixing it into the pasta salad during meal prep, especially if you're prepping for more than two days. After two days, the vinaigrette can cause the salad to become soggy.
If you're not meal prepping this salad, feel free to toss the vinaigrette directly into the salad—it’s the perfect dish for parties or same-day dinners.
This salad can be meal prepped and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days max.
Before serving, top it with tossed sunflower or pumpkin seeds for an extra protein boost and a delicious contrast in texture. Highly recommend!
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That’s all for today’s newsletter! I hope this recipe inspired you to try meal prepping and give it a go.
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Much love,
-Steph
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