Kale Orzo Salad with Maple Lime Vinaigrette
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.
Was craving greens and dreaming of orzo. So to create the ultimate duo I made this version with warm roasted veggies, cranberries and pistachios then drenched it in a delicious sweet and tangy maple lime vinaigrette. It just hit all the craving notes. Balanced in flavor and nutrients, this is a new go to meal that is easy to put together.
Why You’ll Love This Kale Orzo Salad
- Perfect for winter entertaining and everyday meals. Colorful and eye catching, this salad is not just perfect to pack for lunch, it also doubles as an easy salad to prep and bring to your next holiday gathering.
- Budget-friendly. Choosing in season produce helps make this salad more affordable to assemble.
- Light and balanced. This orzo salad is based on veggies and chickpeas. Great sources of protein and fiber that help to keep us feeling more full and satisfied after a meal.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Orzo: A rice shaped pasta that cooks very quickly and works perfect in salads. You can feel free to swap out for your favorite small pasta shape instead.
- Kale: A great quick cooking vegetable, but can easily be swapped with shredded brussels sprouts or broccoli florets. Note that if using either alternative, they may need to roast a few minutes longer than the kale in order to cook through.
- Honeynut Squash: These small squashes have been a favorite this season, but feel free to swap with regular butternut squash or kabocha squash if you prefer. You can also use sweet potato, but note that the cooking times might be different as it tends to take a little longer to roast.
- Lime: Both the zest and juice is needed, so fresh is best. This can also work well with an orange too!
- Pistachios: I recommend using roasted and unsalted pistachios. If allergic to nuts, you can also use pepitas.
- Chickpeas: Make sure to rinse and drain well! If not a fan of chickpeas you can also roast butter beans, white beans or lentils as an alternative.
- Dried Cranberries: This can also work really well with chopped dates or fresh pomegranate seeds. Feel free to leave this out if not a fan of fruit in salad.
- Maple Syrup: To balance the acid in the dressing. I also like to make this dressing with agave syrup.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Good quality makes a big difference. Feel free to use your preferred brands for this. I currently use Graza.
- Shallots: I love the milder and sweeter flavor it provides, but his can be swapped for 1/4 of a small red onion.
- White Wine Vinegar: Provides additional tang. Can be swapped for a splash of apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar.
How to Make Orzo Salad with Kale
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.
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.
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.
Combine the dressing ingredients together in a jar or bowl. If using a jar, seal the jar and shake the dressing ingredients until it emulsifies (becomes uniform). If in a bowl, use a whisk to whisk the ingredients together vigorously until it emulsifies.
Now assemble the salad. 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. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Do not rinse the pasta after draining. Just drain the pasta well and if not using right away, add it back to the pot with a drizzle oil and toss to coat to prevent it from clumping together.
- Make the orzo right before dressing the salad. Having warm orzo mixed with this dressing helps for the orzo to better absorb the flavors.
- Swap the pasta. Try this salad with a different pasta or grain. This can work well with options like quinoa, farro, or barley.
- Cook the vegetables and chickpeas in a single layer on the sheet pan. This will help your vegetables and chickpeas to properly brown and crisp up in the oven. Bonus points if you place the squash cut side down on the tray as this will help the squash evenly brown as it roasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Choose a gluten-free orzo or replace the orzo with your favorite gluten-free pasta or grains like quinoa or millet. Do note that the cooking times of the grains will vary, so follow package instructions for proper preparation.
Yes! Simply swap the pistachios with pepitas or sunflower seeds.
This salad can be enjoyed either warm or cold based on preference. To enjoy warm, just reheat the salad in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until warmed through to your liking.
Storage Tips
Once cooled, place the dressed salad in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Please note, this salad is not meant to be frozen.
How to Make It Balanced
This orzo salad can be enjoyed as is and still provide protein, complex carbs and a variety of nutrients thanks to the addition of the various vegetables. If you have protein goals that are much higher, you can pair this salad with some extra protein.
For some higher protein pairing ideas, consider serving with breaded crispy tofu, marinated tofu feta, or baked seitan. You can also sprinkle in some nutritional yeast and hemp hearts for extra protein as well.
More Easy Vegan Dinner Recipes
- Gochujang Potatoes and Chickpeas
- Chimichurri Corn Tacos
- Roasted Gnocchi with Caramelized Cauliflower
- Tofu Cabbage Stir Fry
- One Pot Chickpea Tomato Stew
Kale Orzo Salad with Maple Lime Vinaigrette
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
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
- 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
Maple Lime Dressing
- 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 white wine 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Combine the dressing ingredients together in a jar or bowl. If using a jar, seal the jar and shake the dressing ingredients until it emulsifies (becomes uniform). If in a bowl, use a whisk to whisk the ingredients together vigorously until it emulsifies.
- Now assemble the salad. 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. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Do not rinse the pasta after draining. Just drain the pasta well and if not using right away, add it back to the pot with a drizzle oil and toss to coat to prevent it from clumping together.
Make the orzo right before dressing the salad. Having warm orzo mixed with this dressing helps for the orzo to better absorb the flavors.
Swap the pasta. Try this salad with a different pasta or grain. This can work well with options like quinoa, farro, or barley.
Cook the vegetables and chickpeas in a single layer on the sheet pan. This will help your vegetables and chickpeas to properly brown and crisp up in the oven. Bonus points if you place the squash cut side down on the tray as this will help the squash evenly brown as it roasts.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
★ Catherine
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This was delicious! I can see how you could swap ingredients. Can’t wait to make this again! Another delicious dish! Thanks!