Easy Butternut Squash Orzo Salad with Dairy-Free Feta

• Olive Oil: First up, we’ll need olive oil for prepping the squash and sautéing the veggies.
• Butternut Squash: Peeled, deseed, and dice a butternut squash (here’s how).
• Orzo: 1 lb of uncooked orzo (aka risoni) will be used to create 6 delicious, heaping servings.
• White Onion: Next up, chop up 1 medium-sized white onion to achieve about 1 cup, diced. You could also use yellow onion if that’s what you have on hand.
• Garlic: And because every good dish includes garlic, 3 cloves will taste great. You can slice or mince the cloves.
• Kale: We’re sneaking a bit of green into this dish by using 4 cups of finely chopped kale. It tastes great and helps sneak in extra nutrients!
• Vegan Feta: Sprinkle ½ cup of vegan feta crumbles on top because cheese makes every dish a little better.
• Salt and Pepper: Finally, ¼ tsp each of salt and pepper will bring out the flavors of the dish, making everything pop!

Vegan Butternut Squash Orzo Salad

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil divided, 30 mL
• 1 medium butternut squash
• 1 lb uncooked orzo aka risoni, 453 g
• 1 cup diced white onions 90 g
• 3 cloves garlic sliced or minced
• 4 cups finely chopped kale 360 g
• ½ cup crumbled vegan feta cheese 100 g
• ¼ tsp each salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Butternut: Peel, seed, and dice the butternut. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium/high heat in a large skillet, then add butternut. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until butternut is fork-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. When finished, roughly mash half of the butternut, then remove it from pan and wipe clean.
2. Orzo: Meanwhile, cook orzo according to the instructions on package, about 10 minutes. Strain, cover, and set aside.
3. Saute: Heat remaining 1 Tbsp of oil over medium heat in your skillet. Add onion and garlic, cooking until soft, about 5 minutes. Add kale, cover, and cook until kale wilts and is soft, 5 minutes.
4. Assemble: Stir together butternut, sautéed kale mixture, orzo, feta, salt, and pepper.