Hearty and rich, this Red Pesto Orzo with Walnuts is perfect for this time of year! Whip it up in just 15 minutes and serve as a vegetarian main or as a side with a meat dish.
I first tried orzo when I made this Creamy Spinach & Mushroom Orzo and I loved it so much. I had no idea what it was prior to that but turns out it’s just pasta that’s shaped like rice! Orzo is actually so easy to cook with so I decided to give it another go with this Red Pesto Orzo with Walnuts.
I used a store bought jar of pesto as I was short on time – I’m generally cooking with the baby in the kitchen with me at the moment! But you can of course make your own homemade pesto and use that instead. I went with walnuts on top but you can also swap them out for something like pine nuts too if you prefer.
This recipe serves about 4-5 people (depending on how hungry you are!) as a vegetarian main and about 6 servings as a side. I made this as a hot meal for the cooler months of the year, but it could also be great served cold as a pasta salad during the summer.
Ayurveda Perspective on Red Pesto Orzo with Walnuts
The warm, heavy and oily qualities of this recipe make it the perfect comfort food for Vata types! After a stressful day, this meal will help Vatas feel more grounded and content. Kapha types should add lots of black pepper to aid digestion and a rocket salad to lighten the meal. Pittas might like to add a little coconut milk to the sauce to balance the warmth of the other ingredients.
Here’s What You Need
- Orzo
- Red pesto
- Tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Garlic/onion
- Olive oil
- Spinach
- Feta
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Red Pesto Orzo with Walnuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups orzo
- drizzle olive oil
- 1 small onion (finely diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tin tomatoes
- 4 tbsp red pesto
- 2 handfuls spinach
- 1 handful chopped walnuts
- sea salt & black pepper to serve
- crumble feta (highly recommended!)
Instructions
- Cook 2 cups or orzo in boiling water for about 10 minutes until soft and then strain
- Meanwhile, make the sauce by gently sauteeing onion and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes
- Then, add tomato paste, tinned tomatoes and pesto and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes
- Add spinach and cook until wilted and then combine with the orzo
- Serve with a generous pinch of sea salt and black pepper, some crushed walnuts and a crumble of feta on top
Notes
- This recipe serves about 4 as main dish or 6 as side portion
- If you are making this as a side dish, it goes well with chicken
- I used store bought red pesto to save time for this recipe, but can make your own if desired
- A little crumbled feta is highly recommended on top!
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