Lemon Dill Orzo Pasta Salad with Tofu Cutlets
This Lemon Dill Orzo Pasta Salad is served topped with lemon pepper coated tofu cutlets. High in protein for a satisfying and easy weeknight dinner.
If you’re following along, this is recipe 4 in our ingredient prep series for the week. Feel free to jump around to different recipes as we continue and don’t forget to grab a copy of this week’s ingredient prep right here! And here are the other recipes for this week.
- Green Goddess Smashed Potato Salad
- Chimichurri Meatball Grain Bowls
- Herby Roasted Butter Bean Wraps
- Chimichurri Marinated Chickpeas Over Toasted Garlic Quinoa
Why You’ll Love Lemon Dill Orzo Pasta Salad with Tofu Cutlets
- High in protein: The tofu and pasta help to add a good amount of protein to our meal to help make it more satisfying and filling.
- Easy to make: Since we’ve completed some of the more annoying parts of prep ahead of time, you can start dredging and cooking right away.
- Easy to customize. Change out the veggies to better fit your mood and preferences.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tofu: I used extra firm tofu. If you want to skip pressing your tofu, you can also use super firm tofu (a variety of tofu that is usually sold in vacuum sealed packaging and tends to be denser in texture).
- Cornstarch: Feel free to use potato starch or arrowroot powder instead.
- Nutritional Yeast: You can leave this out, but note that it does add a level of umami flavor to the outside coating. Alternatively, feel free to add a teaspoon of garlic powder in it’s place if you can’t find it in your area.
- Lemon Pepper: Adds flavor to our dredging, but feel free to experiment with some other seasoning mixes as desired. This would also be great with all-purpose seasoning mix or even something like Old Bay. Just note that if using a seasoning mix that contains salt, you may want to use less to avoid your dredge from being overly salty.
- Orzo: If you are gluten-free try this with Banza’s Protein Rice. It looks like orzo and cooks like orzo, but has the extra benefit of more protein.
- Herby Yogurt Dressing: This is from our previous meal, which you can find all the ingredients and substitutions for here.
- Snap Peas: Asparagus or regular peas are great alternatives I love to use here. Both are in season in the Spring, so use the option that is cheapest and most available to you.
- Kale: Using up some more kale from the pile, but feel free to omit if desired or use a different green like Swiss chard or spinach.
How to Make Lemon Dill Orzo Pasta Salad with Tofu Cutlets
Prep in Advance
Cut the tofu into 3 equal slabs lengthwise, then cut those slabs in half and place into a shallow storage container or reusable bag. Add the tamari and vinegar, seal the container and give it a few gentle shakes to properly coat then place in the fridge to marinate.
Properly clean, dry, cut and store kale and snap peas accordingly.
When Ready to Prep
To a shallow bowl add the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, lemon pepper, and a generous pinch of salt then whisk together. Dredge the slabs of tofu in the cornstarch mixture and set aside.
Bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boil and generously salt the water. Once boiling, add the orzo and cook according to package instructions until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking. Drain the pasta and place it back in the pot with the extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest and juice then toss to coat. Cover and set aside.
Heat a large non-stick skillet with your oil over medium heat. When hot, add the tofu and sear for 5 minutes on one side undisturbed. Flip the tofu and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until both sides are golden. Transfer the tofu to paper towels to drain.
To the same pan used for the tofu, add the shallot with a pinch of salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the snap peas then the kale and continue to sauté until the kale has completely wilted, about 4-5 minutes.
Transfer the cooked veggies to the pot of orzo add the dressing and toss together to combine.
Portion the orzo, top with 2 slabs of tofu and serve with lemon wedges, then enjoy.
Expert Tips
- If you are using lemon pepper seasoning containing salt, you do not need to add additional salt to the cornstarch mixture.
- Change up the veggies. The kale and snap peas just happened to be the veggies I got locally on sale. Other greens can work really well here including Swiss chard and asparagus.
- If your pasta appears dry after dressing it, add a splash of water or more dressing. Pasta is absorbent, so over time the pasta will dry out after it is dressed. To help return that creamy factor, toss your pasta with a 1-2 tablespoons of water at a time until your desired consistency is achieved.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’d like a baked tofu option, I would highly recommend using the tofu recipe used here instead.
Store leftover pasta and tofu in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pasta will dry out overtime since pasta is absorbent. You can help loosen the sauce by adding a splash of water to the pasta salad and stirring well. The tofu can be reheated in a toaster oven or air fryer at 350F for 3-5 minutes until warmed through.
Yes, just use a gluten-free pasta you love. A great 1:1 alternative is using Banza’s Protein Rice, which is made of chickpeas and cooks similar to orzo. It’s higher in fiber and protein too!
How to Serve
Serve the dressed orzo and top with 2 slabs of tofu. I like to thinly slice my tofu into strips to make it look nicer when serving, but totally not necessary. Top with some red pepper flakes for a little heat and serve with lemon wedges as desired.
More Pasta Dishes to Try
- Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
- Caramelized Onion Pasta
- Creamy Red Pesto Pasta
- Spicy Miso Pasta
- Marinated Kale Pasta Salad with Maple Mustard Dressing
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.
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Lemon Dill Orzo Pasta Salad with Tofu Cutlets
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Lemon Dill Orzo Pasta Salad is served topped with lemon pepper coated tofu cutlets. High in protein for a satisfying and easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 lb block extra firm tofu, pressed and drained
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning (no salt added)
- Kosher salt
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 3/4 cup orzo
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1/2 cup snap peas, cut on a bias
- 1 cup kale, shredded
- 1/2 cup Green Goddess Dressing or more as desired
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
Prep in Advance
- Cut the tofu into 3 equal slabs lengthwise, then cut those slabs in half and place into a shallow storage container or reusable bag. Add the tamari and vinegar, seal the container and give it a few gentle shakes to properly coat then place in the fridge to marinate.
- Properly clean, dry, cut and store kale and snap peas accordingly.
When Ready to Prep
- To a shallow bowl add the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, lemon pepper, and a generous pinch of salt then whisk together. Dredge the slabs of tofu in the cornstarch mixture and set aside.
- Bring a large sauce pan filled with water to a boil and generously salt the water. Once boiling, add the orzo and cook according to package instructions until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking. Drain the pasta and place it back in the pot with the extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest and juice then toss to coat. Cover and set aside.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet with your oil over medium heat. When hot, add the tofu and sear for 5 minutes on one side undisturbed. Flip the tofu and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until both sides are golden. Transfer the tofu to paper towels to drain.
- To the same pan used for the tofu, add the shallot with a pinch of salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the snap peas then the kale and continue to sauté until the kale has completely wilted, about 4-5 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked veggies to the pot of orzo add the dressing and toss together to combine.
- Portion the orzo, top with 2 slabs of tofu and serve with lemon wedges, then enjoy.
Notes
If you are using lemon pepper seasoning containing salt, you do not need to add additional salt to the cornstarch mixture.
Change up the veggies. The kale and snap peas just happened to be the veggies I got locally on sale. Other greens can work really well here including Swiss chard and asparagus.
If your pasta appears dry after dressing it, add a splash of water or more dressing. Pasta is absorbent, so over time the pasta will dry out after it is dressed. To help return that creamy factor, toss your pasta with a 1-2 tablespoons of water at a time until your desired consistency is achieved.
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