Basil Orzo Kidney Bean Salad
Delicious cold or warm, this recipe is for you if you love basil as much as I do. A simple orzo pasta salad that’s packed full of delicious plant-based flavors and varied textures. Fresh basil leaves shine as the star of the show here, so make this when your basil plant is overflowing.
Servings: 4
Calories: 684kcal
Cost: $5
Ingredients
- 16 ounces orzo
- 1 cup basil packed whole leaves (if very large, tear into medium pieces)
- 15 ounces kidney beans 1 can, drained and rinsed
- 1 bell pepper de-seeded and chopped into ½ inch pieces
- ½ cup raisins
- ¼ cup cashews roughly chopped
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for oil-free, use extra lemon juice
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook orzo according to package directions in salted water. Stir frequently (it likes to stick to the pan.) Once tender, drain and rinse with cold water (see notes) and set aside to cool.16 ounces orzo
- Meanwhile, remove basil leaves from stems, wash and pat dry. If they are very large, tear apart. Chop bell pepper and cashews.1 cup basil, 1 bell pepper, ¼ cup cashews
- In a large mixing bowl, stir to combine beans, chopped bell pepper, raisins, cashews, lemon juice and olive oil.15 ounces kidney beans, ½ cup raisins, 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Once orzo has cooled, add to the bowl and stir together. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.sea salt, black pepper
- Mix in whole basil leaves once pasta has cooled to room temperature. (If you add them to hot pasta, they will turn black.) Serve and enjoy! Or, store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Notes
I don't normally recommend rinsing pasta after you cook it for most recipes. But, orzo tends to stick together, so rinsing helps it from clumping too much.
Nutrition
Calories: 684kcal | Carbohydrates: 122g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 287mg | Potassium: 850mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1254IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 4mg
