Pasta e Ceci Salad

Inspired by the timeless combination of chickpeas and short noodles in the classic Roman dish pasta e ceci, this lively leafy salad is just right for the warmer months. Keep things light with a generous ratio of chickpeas and greens to orzo, along with a tart, vivacious lemon dressing. No need to massage the kale; you can simply toss it into the dressing and let it soften while the orzo cooks. There’s Parmesan in the salad for saltiness, but vegans can use nutritional yeast instead. Cut down on your dishes by making the dressing in a mixing bowl that is large enough to fit the entire salad.

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10 min

Prep

15 min

Cook

Servings

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lunch dinner main course green salad italian inspired orzo parmesan nutritional yeast

Ingredients

Servings4

SALT AND PEPPER
1cup
orzo
¼cup
finely grated Parmesan (or nutritional yeast), plus more for serving
¼cup
extra-virgin olive oil
1tsp
grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
4cup
torn lacinato or curly kale leaves (from 1 bunch)
2
(15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed
½ to 1tsp
crushed red pepper
handful
torn fresh parsley or basil leaves
½cup
slivered or sliced (flaked) almonds, toasted (see Tip)

Instructions

1
Bring a medium pot of salted water to the boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the orzo, then rinse it under cold water and drain again.
2
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the Parmesan, olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice; season generously with salt and pepper. Add the kale and toss to coat. Allow to soften for a few minutes until the orzo cooks.
3
Add the cooled pasta and chickpeas to the kale, along with the crushed red pepper and half the herbs, and toss to coat. Taste and season well with salt and pepper.
4
To serve, top with remaining herbs, more Parmesan and the almonds.

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