summer vegetable and pesto orzo
This dish first came to fruition during a summer stay in Maine after trying to use what we found from a trip to the farmers market. Growing up, my family went to Maine for many years during the summers, visiting my godparents and exploring small, coastal towns. Coming back for the first time in many years felt like coming back home in a way. I was excited to see what was growing this time of year and what local ingredients we could use for cooking. When we went to the farmer’s market, it was one of those perfect Maine summer days when there’s a light breeze, keeping everything cool and making the colorful flowers dance. Sadly, that summer was also marked by the wildfires in Canada, making the skies hazy when they’re usually a deep, brilliant blue.
The market was full of locally grown summer squash, zucchini, heirloom tomatoes, beans, peas, greens, but also some Maine delicacies like maple syrup and blueberries. We bought zucchini, tomatoes, and some locally made garlic scape pesto for dinner. I decided a risotto sounded like the perfect way to celebrate these ingredients. It was delicious, but I ended up spending a lot of time in the kitchen and, even in Maine, standing over a hot stove constantly stirring a pot of thick risotto is not the most ideal way to spend your summer vacation. In later iterations of this dish, I decided to use orzo instead to shorten the cooking time, but to bring the same flavors and textures – essentially the same dish but more practical for the hot, summer months when the vegetables in this dish are in peak season. Of course, you are more than welcome to make this a risotto if you prefer, but hopefully this option is a bit easier. For my gluten-free friends feel free to substitute with gluten-free orzo.
While I have a recipe for garlic scape pesto, feel free to substitute basil or any other pesto you’ve made or bought from the store. I also use nutritional yeast but as always, feel free to use parmigiano or pecorino instead. Similarly, I added pistachios for some texture, but it’s also great without if you don’t have them on hand or are nut free. This recipe is quick enough for a weeknight dish but also celebratory enough to share with loved ones at a get together. Best served as the sun is setting over the water, with lots of candles, seasonal flowers, some fun drinks, and lots of laughs.
summer vegetable and pesto orzo
ingredients
2-3 tbsp olive oil (plus more for serving)
1/2 red onion diced
3 cloves garlic crushed
2 small summer squash diced
2 small zucchini diced
1 heaping cup cherry tomatoes whole
1.5 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
2 cups orzo (substitute gluten free orzo if needed)
1/3 cup dry white wine (optional)
2.5 cups water
1 14 oz. can cannellini beans
4-5 tbsp pesto
2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast (substitute parm or pecorino)
lemon juice and zest from one lemon
fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 cup roasted pistachios chopped (optional, for topping)
bunch of basil sliced (optional, for topping)
instructions
Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large, wide pan (or anything you would cook risotto in). Once hot, add onion and sauté for a few minutes until softened.
Add crushed garlic, summer squash, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir. Cover the vegetables to cook, checking every few minutes to make sure it’s not sticking to the bottom of the pan. You want all of the veg to really meld together.
Add the orzo, white wine, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil until most of the liquid is gone and the alcohol has cooked off.
Then add the water/broth. Bring to a boil, then bring down to a simmer. Cook until the orzo is cooked through, the water has mostly cooked off, and it has a nice risotto-like consistency. Stir every few minutes to make sure it’s not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Once the texture is where you want it, add the cannellini beans, 4-5 tablespoons of pesto, lemon zest, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir until everything is evenly distributed. Taste. If needed, add more pesto, lemon juice, or salt. Usually, I’ll add another small dollop of pesto for an extra kick of flavor and salt.
Serve in bowls and top with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped roasted pistachios (if using), and basil.
Enjoy!