Looking for simple plant-based comfort food? You can’t beat these vegan orzo recipes.
Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta. It cooks fast, tastes great, and it’s highly versatile.
Spruce it up with a creamy lemon sauce. Pack it with garden-fresh ingredients. Or turn it into a meaty feast with plant-based tempeh sausage.
With delicious meals like vegan curry meatballs or fresh Greek flavors, nobody will miss the meat.
It doesn’t matter if you’re strictly vegan or just trying the lifestyle. These plant-based orzo dishes have plenty to offer.
From light lunches to simple sides to easy dinners, these vegan orzo recipes have you covered.
1. Vegan Orzo Risotto with Spinach and Lemon
Looking for a light and healthy vegan pasta? Here’s one you can throw together in 20 minutes.
It’s a humble blend of orzo, mushrooms, baby spinach, and garlic. There’s no need to weigh it down with a rich or hearty sauce. Instead, perk it up with lemon juice and perhaps red pepper chili flakes.
Pine nuts and chickpeas are also a great protein addition.
2. One-Pot Tomato Orzo
Try this orzo once and you’ll quickly put it on repeat. It has all the makings for a perfect meal for a hectic week. It’s easy, quick, filling, and only requires one pot.
Saute the garlic, add the orzo, pour in white wine, and add tomatoes. After a heavy-handed pour of veggie broth, it’s ready to simmer.
If you have capers and basil, add them at the end. You could also use canned tomatoes as a substitute.
3. Vegan Lemon Orzo
I keep frozen peas on hand just for meals like this. They’re such a lifesaver in a pinch!
Throw this dish together when the kitchen is looking a little sparse. Plus, it comes together in a jiffy. Shallots, garlic, and lemon replace the sauce in this recipe. And you can use frozen spinach instead of fresh.
If you have a well-stocked kitchen, you can customize it. But honestly, it’s great as it is.
4. Baked Vegan Orzo
What do you get when you combine comfort food with garden-fresh ingredients? This incredible bake!
This satisfying baked pasta has everything you could want in one dish.
It combines cheesy garlicky pasta with a bounty of zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil. If that isn’t good enough, it’s 100 percent plant-based.
5. Creamy Vegan Tuscan Orzo
This Tuscan orzo is off the charts! It looks as fresh as the Tuscan countryside. And the flavors make it worthy enough for date night.
The two types of tomatoes alone had me sold. But it’s the creamy risotto-like texture that leaves you hooked.
Try it and prepare to be impressed. The flavors speak for themselves.
6. Creamy Vegan Spinach Orzo
When simplicity is what you crave, this orzo has you covered.
It doesn’t call for anything extravagant, just seven ingredients. And two of those include salt and pepper.
Unadorned and humble, it’s the perfect simple dish, which is something we can all appreciate.
7. One-Pot Creamy Garlic Orzo
This one-pot wonder is a blessing on a busy weeknight.
It’s ready in 30 minutes and uses what you have on hand. Plus, cleanup is a breeze.
Not to mention, it satisfies those creamy pasta cravings without dairy or meat.
And if you want it even creamier, try adding one of these vegan heavy cream substitutes.
8. Lemon Garlic Orzo with Roasted Vegetables
I can’t stop talking about this orzo dish! From the tiny tender pasta to all the roasted veggies, it’s perfect. Rustic, comforting, and wholesome, it truly hits the spot.
All it needs is a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. They enhance the veggies while letting their flavors shine.
Although, I’m not one to pass on feta cheese. Don’t worry, it’s non-dairy.
9. Orzo Pasta with Chickpeas
This plant-based pasta is a testament to what you can do with pantry staples.
It has fresh ingredients, including garlic, lemon, and parsley. And the flavor is beyond scrumptious!
It’s also high in protein and high in carbs. So if you need to replenish after a big day, it’s a prime choice.
10. Mushroom Orzo
Do you ever get a craving for a comforting mushroom pasta? Next time you do, make this orzo.
Start by sauteing onions, garlic, and mushrooms in non-dairy butter. Next, it’s time for the white wine, veggie broth, and oat milk.
All that’s left now is to add the orzo and simmer.
11. Spicy Curry Vegan Meatballs & Orzo
Elevate Meatless Monday with this plant-based curry. The Jamaican curry sauce packs a punch of flavor. It also brings some heat in the form of scotch bonnet peppers.
As the chickpea meatballs simmer in it, they tenderize and absorb the flavor. Like basic white rice, you want to serve it with plain orzo. That way, it can soak up all the flavors.
12. Vegan Lemony Sausage and Kale Orzo
Forget the tofu, this dish is all about tempeh. Italian spices, smoked paprika, and a few other seasonings make it taste like sausage. Be sure it’s crumbly, then toss it with the lemony orzo and kale.
If you’re out of kale, use another leafy green like spinach or chard.
13. Vegan Greek Orzo Salad
Are you tired of eating sandwiches for lunch? Then introduce this zippy Greek salad into your day. The orzo is full of Mediterranean flavors. Olives, cherry tomatoes, and parsley are just a few. Toss it with the lemon dressing and chunks of vegan feta.
This 20-minute salad is also a great choice for a quick dinner. And it’s a nice side for a potluck, picnic, or barbecue.
14. Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup
This bright bowl of plant-based goodness will warm you up inside and out. It’s jam-packed with comfort and it’s nutritious to boot!
In each spoonful, you get orzo, spinach, carrots, chickpeas, and onions, all in a creamy tahini lemon broth.
Put on a pot and lap up all that deliciousness. It’s good for your body and your soul.
15. Vegan Lentil Orzo Bake
If you think vegan food can’t be hearty, think again! This savory bake is one filling meal.
The lentils and orzo alone will satisfy your hunger, and the flavor keeps your tastebuds coming back for more.
Garam masala and cumin coat the lentils, orzo, and veggies. So it’s full of warming spices. But what about the cheese? That’s done the vegan way with nooch in the breadcrumb topping.
16. Creamy Lemon Zucchini Orzo
Searching for a summer zucchini side dish? This orzo will be a hit! Serve it at your cookouts, picnics, or dinner parties. Sometimes, I just pack it for lunch.
Non-dairy milk and vegan Parmesan make the orzo creamy. Add vegan bouillon to make it extra tasty. Then, stir in the zucchini saute.
If you have basil or Italian parsley, use that to top it off.
17. Instant Pot Orzo (Vegan)
How do you make perfectly fluffy orzo? Cook it in the Instant Pot! This method is so easy. Saute the garlic with the orzo, add the broth, then cook. It takes about 10 minutes and you only need five ingredients.
Serve it as is for a side or fix it up with anything you like. Add vegan cheese for kid-friendly pasta. You can also load up on veggies. The options are endless!
17 Best Vegan Orzo Recipes
Try these easy vegan orzo recipes for meals to remember! From risotto to soup to salad, you’ll love these plant-based delights.
Ingredients
Vegan Orzo Risotto with Spinach and Lemon
Vegan Lemon Orzo
Baked Vegan Orzo
Creamy Vegan Tuscan Orzo
Creamy Vegan Spinach Orzo
One -Pot Creamy Garlic Orzo
Lemon Garlic Orzo with Roasted Vegetables
Orzo Pasta with Chickpeas
Mushroom Orzo
Spicy Curry Vegan Meatballs & Orzo
Vegan Lemony Sausage and Kale Orzo
Vegan Greek Orzo Salad
Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup
Vegan Lentil Orzo Bake
Creamy Lemon Zucchini Orzo
Instant Pot Orzo (Vegan)
Instructions
- Select your favorite recipe.
- Organize all the required ingredients.
- Prep a vegan orzo recipe in 30 minutes or less!
