Creamy Tomato Orzo

Indulge in this Creamy Tomato Orzo, a vibrant one-pot side dish that bursts with flavor and is incredibly simple to prepare. Ideal for any night of the week! For a heartier option, elevate it to a main dish by incorporating your favorite protein.

I love a good one-pot wonder!! Meals like One-Pot Bacon Alfredo and One-Pot Pizza Pasta grace our table often because they are so easy to make and don’t require a ton of dishes to clean up.

Before You Get Started

I find that one-pot meals work best when you prep all your ingredients before you start cooking. This approach ensures that nothing burns while you’re chopping or measuring.

One-pot meals and Asian dishes tend to be fast-paced, and unless you are very quick with a knife, I highly recommend having everything prepared in advance.

Notes On How To Make Creamy Tomato Orzo

This is just a quick overview of the method for this orzo dish. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

Be sure to cook the onion long enough that a little color starts to show up. This will add more flavor to the dish. When you add in the garlic, only cook it long enough to soften it, which takes around 30 seconds to 1 minute. It’s really easy to burn garlic, so stir constantly after adding the garlic.

Adding the tomato paste before the liquids is really important because it makes it easier to incorporate into the liquids. Otherwise, it will end up clumpy and may not fully mix in.

If the liquid is absorbing too quickly while cooking, turn down the heat a little and add in a little more broth. The dish needs to simmer but not boil.

Variations

• Use chicken broth or vegetable broth
• Stir in cooked chicken, shrimp, chickpeas, or ground beef for a protein source. Stir in about 2 cups of protein.
• Add other veggies such as shredded carrot, peas, shredded zucchini, kale, or bell pepper. Add the carrot and bell pepper with the onion. Add the peas, zucchini, or kale with the parmesan cheese.
• To make this a spicy dish, add in crushed red pepper or your favorite hot sauce.

What Can I Use Instead Of Orzo?

You can replace the orzo with any small-shaped pasta such as ditalini, alphabet pasta, or small salad shells.

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