Asparagus Orzo Salad

{gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan}

With a light lemon tang and fresh greens, this asparagus orzo salad is perfect for summer! This salad is an old recipe of mine. When I first created it, I used traditional orzo, and I topped it with feta cheese (yum!). However, I do not eat gluten or dairy anymore, so I switched to gluten free orzo and I replaced the cheese with a vegan “mozzarella.” You’ll see my options for either in the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups orzo (I used DeLallo Gluten Free Orzo, but you may use traditional orzo)
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp olive oil
25 asparagus spears, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups packed fresh spinach
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup vegan cheese replacement (I used Daiya Mozzarella Style; you may also use real feta cheese if you are not dairy-free or vegan)

Instructions:

1. Boil water and vegetable broth. Add a dash of salt. Stir in orzo. Cook until tender (about 10 minutes). Drain orzo and set aside.
2. In a small sauce pan, saute garlic in olive oil. Add in asparagus pieces. Saute for 3-4 minutes, until asparagus is tender. Stir in spinach. Cook until spinach cooks down.
3. In a small bowl, mix lemon juice, parsley, turmeric, and a dash of pepper.
4. Put the orzo in a medium bowl and add in the vegetables.
5. Pour the lemon juice mixture over the orzo and vegetables. Stir. Top with vegan cheese replacement.
6. Serve warm. Enjoy!