Pesto Chickpea, Courgette + Orzo Salad

Pasta salads are popular for a reason, but have you ever added giant, juicy, QUEEN CHICKPEAS? Plump, nutty, creamy - they are the PERFECT addition to add flavour, bulk + bite. Here, they’re tossed with golden, soft courgette, orzo and brought together with a generous swoosh of fresh basil pesto. It’s ideal to meal prep, as it’s just as good the next day straight out the fridge. If you prefer you can use shop bought pesto instead of making your own - around 4 - 5 tablespoons is fine. Please note you will need a blender or food processor for this recipe.

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Ingredients

orzo 100 g
courgette 2 (cubed)
pine nuts 50 g (toasted)
fresh basil 15 g
grated Parmesan 30 g (grated)
lemon ½ (juice)
Bold Bean Queen chickpeas 570 g (drained)
rocket 1 handful
feta 1
mozzarella cheese ball 125 g

Method

Cook the orzo

Cook the orzo in a pan of boiling, salted water until al dente, around 8-10 minutes. Drain the orzo into a sieve and refresh under cold running water, then shake off the excess water. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil to prevent it sticking together.

Cook the courgettes

Chop the courgettes into bite-sized pieces.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium sized frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the courgettes with a pinch of salt and fry until soft and slightly golden on the edges, about 7-8 minutes.

Make the pesto

Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan. Peel the garlic clove.
If you’re making the pesto from scratch, add the fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic clove, olive oil and grated Parmesan to a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth. Season to taste.

Combine the Salad

Juice the lemon.
To a mixing bowl, add the drained orzo, drained chickpeas, courgettes, pesto, lemon and a good crack of black pepper and stir gently until well combined. Check for seasoning and add more lemon juice or pesto** to your taste.

Plate Up

Serve into bowls, top with the reserved toasted pine nuts, some more Parmesan ad fresh basil. Serve alongside some rocket leaves and top with the mozzarella and feta. Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days.

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