Parmesan Orzo
Parmesan orzo is a quick and easy pasta side dish made in one pan. All it needs is a flavorful protein on top and some veggies on the side and dinner is done. See the recipe notes for tips and variations.
Servings: 4
Cost: $5.00
Equipment
- Large Measuring Cup
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Large Saute Pan with Lid
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted will work)
- 1 cup finely diced yellow or white onion
- 1 pound uncooked orzo pasta
- 4 cups low-sodium stock (any type; see note)
- 1 cup water
- 1 generous cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large sauté pan (use one with a lid), melt butter over medium-high. Add onion and saute until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the pasta and stir until it's all shiny and coated. Pour the stock and water over top and bring to a simmer. Stir well and then cover with a lid. Simmer, covered, removing the lid one time and stirring well (this will prevent sticking), until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese.
- It may seem like you have too much liquid at first, but keep stirring until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Dairy-free - You can absolutely skip the parmesan in the finished pasta and it will still be creamy and flavorful. For a completely dairy-free recipe, use olive oil instead of butter.
Onion - You can even skip the onion if you want, though you’ll miss some of the flavor. Or swap in a couple cloves of minced garlic.
Leftovers - As orzo sits, it will continue to soak up the liquids, so this dish is at its most creamy right after cooking!
Bone Broth - Want to add some extra protein to the dish? Use bone broth to cook the pasta.
Nutrition
Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 91g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 154mg | Potassium: 517mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg