Vegetarian

Have you been seeing orzo pasta all over your TikTok FYP or being used in Insta Reels everywhere and not quite sure what this new trendy ingredient is? Well, you’re in luck! We’re here to explain and then give you a recipe that will have you firmly on the orzo train in no time.

What Is Orzo?

It may look similar to rice but it definitely isn’t (and it definitely isn’t gluten-free either). Orzo is a thin, oval rice-shaped pasta. It is traditionally made with semolina flour which is a type of flour made from Durum wheat, but it can also be made of whole grain.

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When you’re looking to buy orzo, as with any store-bought pasta, you want to find a quality brand that uses quality ingredients. We’re talking about a brand that uses semolina with higher protein content. Not only is it important to hit your #proteingoals, but this creates a sturdier pasta that is better to cook with and won’t leave you eating a mushy meal.

Now that you know what it is, it’s time to find out what it tastes like with this recipe!

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Orzo Pasta With Roasted Pumpkin, Red Onion, Feta & Almonds

Serves 4 as a main course and 6-8 as a side dish

This dish is as good served at room temperature as it is served warm. It can certainly be a vegetarian main course, but also as a side dish as part of a bigger spread, says Ilse van Der Merwe, the creator of this delish recipe and author of cookbook Simply Seasonal.

But hey, don’t just stop there! If you’re wanting to get ahead, you can meal prep this on Sunday and portion it out for lunches throughout the week. The great thing about it being vegetarian is that it will keep for longer than a meat dish.

Want to make it vegan? Lose the feta!

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Ingredients

±500g Pumpkin, peeled and cubed

3 Large red onions, sliced into slim wedges

±45ml Olive oil, plus extra salt and pepper, to taste

500g Orzo pasta (or rosmarino or risoni)

60–125ml Flaked almonds, lightly toasted in a dry pan

2–3 Rounds feta cheese, crumbled

Small bunch fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

Small bunch fresh mint, finely chopped (or basil or dill)

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice, to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C. On a large baking sheet lined with baking paper, spread out the pumpkin and red onions, drizzle evenly with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes until tender and golden brown.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for 7 minutes, then drain. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pasta and stir to coat, then transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl, adding the roasted pumpkin and onions.

Add the parsley, mint, feta and a squeeze of lemon juice, then season all over with salt and pepper and stir gently to mix well. Top with the toasted almonds and serve warm or at room temperature. More

The best advice for prolonging your youthful good looks: eat your veggies!Make this all-green spinach and ricotta lasagne or incorporate more green into your meat-sauce lasagne by adding three spinach layers and keeping the other two filled with bolognaise. Making your own lasagne means you’re more able to control the ingredients and therefore, keep your kilojoule intake lower than it would be with store-bought varieties packed with extra salt, sugar and fats.
Remember: a good lasagne doesn’t go slip-sliding away but stands upright on your plate.
Spinach And Ricotta Lasagne Recipe
For the spinach and ricotta lasagne filling

1 tbsp olive oil
300g chard, washed, cored and sliced
150g baby spinach leaves
50g herbs (we used flatleaf parsley, winter savoury, one stick rosemary, sage, thyme and sweet rocket)
150g ricotta
1 tsp grated lemon zest
Freshly ground nutmeg
Sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper

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For the béchamel

30g butter or plant-based margarine
30g flour
450ml low-fat milk, warmed
24.5cm x 17cm lasagne dish

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Method

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, add all the greens and cook for a few minutes, tossing constantly, until bright green and wilted. Place in a colander and use a bowl to press down on the greens and squeeze out every bit of liquid. Process in a food processor until smooth, seasoning with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Combine with the ricotta and lemon zest and set aside.
In a small pot over medium heat, melt the butter until foaming, add the flour and cook, stirring until it smells biscuity. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Bring to a boil, simmer for two minutes and season.
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cook the lasagne sheets for one minute and set aside on a plate lined with a tea towel. To assemble the lasagne, spread two tablespoons of bechamel over the base of a 24.5cm x 17cm lasagne dish and cover it with two lasagne sheets (you’ll have to cut them to fit). Spread two to three forkfuls of the spinach mixture over the lasagne sheets and then drizzle over two tablespoons of béchamel. Continue until you have five layers, finishing with a layer of spinach drizzled with four tablespoons of béchamel.
Bake for 20 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve with a drizzle of your finest extra-virgin olive oil.

Serves 4. Per 363g serving: 1 965kJ, 17g fat (7g sat), 490mg sodium, 65g carbs, 14g fibre, 8g sugars, 23g protein.
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