Vegan Creamy Lemon Basil Orzo Skillet! Step into the zesty world of this comforting dish – where orzo dreams of being a risotto and lemons do a happy dance!

Immerse your taste buds in the light and refreshing essence of lemon, infusing this Vegan Creamy Lemon Basil Orzo Skillet with a vibrant zing that will leave you craving more. As the orzo simmers in the savory sauce, it transforms into a luxuriously creamy concoction, reminiscent of a decadent risotto. This one-skillet wonder is a perfect harmony of flavors and textures, making it an ideal choice for a quick and satisfying meal.

This Vegan Creamy Lemon Basil Orzo Skillet is lightly flavored. Lemon gives the dish fresh vibrancy. The orzo cooks in the sauce releasing a very creamy risotto type essence.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.

Hi there, Ameera here!

Packed with the vibrant and refreshing flavors of zesty lemon and aromatic basil, this recipe is a must-try for all food enthusiasts.

You gotta give this one a try!

Tips for Success:

• Flavor Profile: This Vegan Creamy Lemon Basil Orzo Skillet is lightly flavored. Lemon gives the dish fresh vibrancy. The orzo cooks in the liquids in the skillet releasing starch which lends to a very creamy risotto type feeling.  Both fresh and dried basil add depth.  The Vegan Parmesan Cheese topping beautifully accents the dish.
• Creaminess: The creaminess comes from the orzo as it releases its starch while cooking. If you do not enjoy pasta creaminess, then perhaps consider skipping this recipe.
• Gluten Free Pasta: Most gluten free pastas are very starchy and can sometimes turn gloopy. If you are concerned, cook the orzo pasta separately until nearly done, rinse well to remove excess starches then add to the skillet. Cut back on the total amount of liquids. There will still be enough starches in the GF pasta to create a risotto type dish.
• Orzo Pasta: Orzo is the best pasta for this recipe as it easily duplicates rice that is used for risotto.
• Zucchini: Use a zucchini that has no seeds, weighing approx. 9 to 11 oz.
• Fresh Basil and Dried Basil: We used both fresh basil and dry basil in this recipe. The fresh basil adds a lovely boost of freshness; however, it does struggle to compete with the starchiness of the dish. The dried basil gives additional flavor.
• Cannellini Bean Substitutions: You can pretty much substitute with your favorite white bean for the cannellini beans or leave them out completed and replace them with another zucchini or yellow squash.
• Shallot Substitution: You can substitute the shallot for a small yellow onion, finely minced.
• Vegan Parmesan Cheese: We used our recipe, Vegan Parmesan Cheese.  Feel free to use your favorite vegan parmesan cheese recipe.  A generous sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese on individual servings really elevates this dish.
• Vegan Creamy Lemon Asparagus Orzo:  If you are looking for a cashew based orzo recipe, then give our Vegan Creamy Lemon Asparagus Orzo a try. It is similar but with a different flavor profile.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep 5 days in the refrigerator.  Store in a covered container.

This dish can be frozen.

Pantry Products:

• Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients.
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs. If using table salt, you may need to use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.

Kitchen Equipment:

• Large skillet with a tight-fitting lid

If you try this wholesome and nourishing dish, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.

Vegan Creamy Lemon Basil Orzo Skillet

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• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 15 Minutes
• Cook Time: 20 Minutes
• Total Time: 35 Minutes
• Yield: 4 Servings 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Immerse your taste buds in the light and refreshing essence of lemon, infusing this Vegan Creamy Lemon Basil Orzo Skillet with a vibrant zing that will leave you craving more.

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Ingredients

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Base Ingredients:

• 1 medium shallot (3 oz.), minced *
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth *
• 1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick *
• 1 ¼ cups orzo (pasta) 

Spice/Herb Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• ½ to 1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt (+/-)
• Pinch to ¼ teaspoon black pepper (+/-) 

Other Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
• 1 – [ 15 oz. can ] cannellini beans, drained and rinsed *
• ¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon Vegan Parmesan Cheese
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Zest of one lemon (+/-)
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil

Individual Servings Topping:

• Generous sprinkle Vegan Parmesan Cheese

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Instructions

1. Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients into a small bowl, mix well, set aside.
2. In a large, deep skillet, sauté the minced shallot over medium-high heat for 6 to 7 minutes until softened, add a splash of water to prevent burning, if needed.
3. Add the minced garlic, stir constantly for 30 seconds.
4. Next add all the remaining Base Ingredients and the Spice/Herb Mix, stir well, bring to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook until the orzo is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed, approximately 7 to 11 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
5. Once the orzo is al dente, add all the Other Ingredients, stir well to heat through. The dish should be thick and creamy, like a risotto.
6. Top individual servings with a generous sprinkle of Vegan Parmesan Cheese.

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Notes

*Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.

*Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

*Serving:  4

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