Creamy tomato orzo
Orzo simmered in a garlicky tomato broth and finished with a splash of cream and parmesan, like tomato soup and pasta had a very cozy baby.
- 30 min total
- 20 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $1.61 a serving
- 430 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegetarian
Dolly says: I’d make this on a weeknight. It’s on the table in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1½ cups orzo
- 1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 oz
- 2½ cups vegetable broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, torn (optional)
From your pantry
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
Each serving has about 430 calories, 14 g protein, 58 g carbs and 16 g fat, and costs about $1.61 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No butter? Ghee works.
- No diced tomatoes? Crushed tomatoes work.
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the garlic.
Mince. Mincing means chopping something into the tiniest pieces you can, smaller than a grain of rice. Tiny pieces melt into the dish, so you get the flavor without biting into a chunk of garlic.
How you’ll know: Every piece is tiny and about the same size, and the pile starts to look almost like a paste.
the butter in a large over medium heat. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring, until the paste darkens.
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
Saucepan. A saucepan is a pot with tall, straight sides and one long handle. It’s for things that need depth, like rice, sauces or a few boiled eggs.
How you’ll know: The food fills it about halfway, leaving room to bubble without spilling over.
Medium heatTimer: 1 min
Stir in the orzo for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes with their juice, the broth, Italian seasoning and salt. Turn the heat to high and .
Bring to a boil. It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.
How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.
High heat
Turn the heat to medium and 9 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the orzo is tender and the sauce is thick.
Simmer. Simmering means keeping a liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles rising gently. It cooks food evenly and lets a sauce thicken without scorching on the bottom.
How you’ll know: Small, lazy bubbles break the surface every second or so, and nothing is churning.
Medium heatTimer: 9 min 30 sec
Dolly’s tip: Stir often and scrape the bottom. Orzo loves to glue itself to the pot.Take it off the heat and stir in the cream and parmesan.
Taste for salt and serve with torn basil.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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