Creamy Lemon Orzo with Chickpeas & Broccoli

This creamy orzo pasta dish is a hearty vegan meal that cooks up in about 40 minutes. Broccoli and lemon keep it vibrant and chickpeas add a bit of protein and fiber. This cozy one pot vegan meal is perfect for busy weeknights and is a total crowd pleaser with the creamy, lemony sauce--all dairy-free of course! You can make this dish with a gluten-free orzo (or other super small GF pasta) if needed!

We start by making a quick cashew cream and setting that aside. Then we quickly sauté some broccoli florets until they turn bright green--these get set aside as well! The last major step is starting the actual orzo. Shallots and garlic are sautéed until soft and fragrant. Then we add thyme, chili flakes and lemon zest. The orzo is poured in and toasted a bit. Vegetable stock is poured into the pan and we bring everything to a simmer. Once the orzo is cooked, we add the cashew cream and a big squeeze of lemon. The broccoli and chickpeas are stirred in. I like to sprinkle this dish with vegan "parmesan" as well.

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[hannahandrainn]

That looks great! So different, which is what I need :)