One Pot Vegetarian Orzo with Sundried Tomatoes
Brightly flavored with fresh basil, sun-dried tomatoes, and lemon, vegetarian orzo is creamy and satisfying. Made in one pot, it's the perfect recipe for family dinners or company!
Servings: 4 main course
Ingredients
- 1 pkg. (3 oz.) dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes (about ¾ cup tightly-packed cup)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch dice (about 1 cup)
- 1 lb. uncooked whole wheat orzo pasta (about 2 ½ cups)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups nonfat milk (can use 2% or whole milk)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth or low sodium vegetable broth, divided (up to 1 cup more, if needed)
- 5 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped (about 5 cups)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus additional to taste
- zest and juice of 1 medium lemon (about 1 teaspoon zest and ¼ cup juice)
- ⅔ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (about 2 ½ oz.) plus additional for serving
- ¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced, divided
Instructions
- Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl and cover with very hot water. Let sit to rehydrate while you prepare the orzo.1 pkg. (3 oz.) dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- In a large Dutch oven or similar large, heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot but not yet smoking add the onion and sauté until fragrant and beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the orzo, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Sauté, stirring to combine the ingredients and coat the orzo with the onion and oil. Cook just until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 small yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch dice, 1 lb. uncooked whole wheat orzo pasta, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Slowly stir in the milk and 2 cups of the broth. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring very frequently with a wooden spoon and scraping the spoon along the bottom of the pot to prevent the orzo from sticking. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a light simmer. Cook until the orzo is al dente, most of the liquid is absorbed, and the orzo is very creamy, 8 to 10 minutes. Lift the lid every few minutes to stir and run the spoon along the bottom to prevent sticking If the pasta looks dry at any point, add several splashes of additional broth as needed to loosen it.2 cups nonfat milk, 2 cups low sodium chicken broth or low sodium vegetable broth, divided
- Drain and roughly chop the sun-dried tomatoes. Add them to the pot. Stir in the spinach, red pepper flakes, lemon zest and juice, Parmesan, and half of the basil. Continue to cook and stir until the spinach is just wilted and the cheese melts, about 1 minute. Taste and season with additional salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes as desired.5 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus additional to taste, zest and juice of 1 medium lemon, ⅔ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (about 2 ½ oz.) plus additional for serving, ¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced, divided
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with the remaining basil and additional Parmesan.
Notes
- Yield: This recipe makes 4 main course servings but it also can be served as a side dish. It will makes 8 to 10 side dish servings.
- Substitutions: If you prefer, regular (not whole wheat) orzo can be substituted. Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil can be substituted for the dry-packed sun dried tomatoes. Skip step #1 (soaking); instead drain the tomatoes and pat lightly with paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Storage & reheating: Store leftovers in a tightly covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove top or in the microwave with a splash of water, broth, or milk if pasta seems a little dry.
- Recipe used with permission from The Well Plated Cookbook by Erin Clarke, published by Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
Nutrition
Calories: 695kcal | Carbohydrates: 111g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 1012mg | Potassium: 1583mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 4020IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 478mg | Iron: 5mg
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