Lemon Basil Orzo with Summer Veggies
A bright and summery pasta sauce is both light and rich, thanks to lemon, fresh basil, and local vegan butter.
Servings
Produce
Leek
1 0.5 Small
Basil
0.5 0.25 oz
Yellow Squash (Organic)
1 0.5 Whole
Zucchini (Organic)
1 0.5 Whole
Cherry Tomato
5 2.5 oz
Garlic (Organic)
1 0.5 Clove
Lemon
1 0.5 Whole
Protein & more
Cannellini beans
2 1 Can
Orzo
1.5 0.75 cup
Pantry items
Olive oil
2 1 teaspoon
Sea salt
1/2 0.25 teaspoon
Vegan butter
1 0.5 tablespoon
Spice mix
Cheesy Breadcrumb Mix (Vegan)
Panko
1/4 0.125 cup
Vegan Parmesan
1/4 0.125 cup
Garlic Herb Mix
Dried thyme
1/4 0.125 teaspoon
Dried oregano
1/4 0.125 teaspoon
Granulated Garlic
1/4 0.125 teaspoon
Prep ahead (optional)
a. Slice zucchini & yellow squash lengthwise and ½” dice. b. Trim root & green end off leek, thinly slice white part. c. Juice lemon. d. Mince garlic. e. Finely mince basil.
Instructions
1
Preheat oven broiler to medium.:
2
Cook the orzo:
a. Drain and rinse cannellini beans. Set aside.
b. In large ovenproof sauté pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp vegan butter and garlic herb mix. When melted, add garlic (mince), leek (trim root & green ends, thinly slice white part), and ½ tsp salt; cook until translucent and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
c. Add orzo and lemon juice; stir to coat orzo in butter and juice.
d. Add yellow squash (slice in half lengthwise, ½” dice), zucchini (slice in half lengthwise, ½” dice), and cherry tomatoes (leave whole). Stir to combine.
e. Add 2½ cups of warm water (1¼ cup for 2-person portion). Stir to combine.
f. Add cannellini beans and stir to combine. Cover and cook until beans are warmed through and orzo is al dente, about 10 minutes.
3
Add crust:
a. Evenly sprinkle cheesy breadcrumb mix over surface of pasta. Chef tip: Non-stick pans should not go in the oven. If you aren’t sure your sauté pan is ovenproof, transfer the pasta into a casserole dish and proceed with the recipe for adding the Parmesan crust.
b. Place pan or casserole dish under the broiler. DO NOT WALK AWAY. Pull from the oven when the crust is golden, about 2 minutes, depending on how hot the broiler is and where the rack is positioned.
4
Serve:
a. Add a heaping spoonful of lemon orzo to pasta bowl or plate.
b. Garnish with basil (mince).
Chef's notes
For the meat lovers at the table, add chicken, which is a classic pairing with lemon and basil.
All spice mixes and dressings made by Inner Chef from scratch with organic ingredients, local when possible.
This week’s local ingredients across all Inner Chef meal-kits come from:
Gundermann Acres,
Wharton County, TX
Wharton County, TX
Fagan Family Farm
Lone Star Herbs,
League City, TX
League City, TX
G&S Groves,
Mission, TX
Mission, TX
The Farm Patch,
Pleasanton, TX
Pleasanton, TX
Kitchen Pride,
Gonzales, TX
Gonzales, TX
Fruitful Hill Farm,
Bastrop, TX
Bastrop, TX
J&B Farms,
Hondo, TX
Hondo, TX
Martinez Farms,
Pleasanton, TX
Pleasanton, TX
J&D Farms
Village Farms,
Marfa, TX
Marfa, TX