This Creamy Tomato Orzo is made all in one pan and is fantastic for a weeknight meal. Seasoned with oregano, lemon zest, and tomato paste and cooked in chicken stock (or vegetable stock) and cream, it’s a real comfort dish that I really hope you love. Enjoy, my friends!
One pot meals are a winner for me during the week. There’s minimal washing up and it’s low effort and requires low maintenance. I think this creamy tomato orzo is perfect as is, but you could totally add in some more vegetables (asparagus, spinach, zucchini) or you could turn it into a creamy chicken orzo for a bit of extra protein.
If you're looking for some more orzo recipes, check out my pea and asparagus pasta recipe. For those of you who've run out of orzo, here are 20 substitutes for orzo you can look through!
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About Emily's Recipe
If you're new here, hi! I'm Emily - a recipe developer, food content creator, and cookbook author! Thanks for stopping by to check out my Creamy Tomato Orzo recipe. I really hope you enjoy it and please do let me know in the comments if you give it a go!
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Texture: the orzo is al dente and the tomatoes pop as you bite into them. It's a creamy pasta dish.
Taste: creamy with a tang of the tomato.
Ease: it's a one pan dish and straightforward to follow.
Top Tips: 1. use a non-stick pan. 2. this recipe can be made in around 20 minutes, but cooking the onions, garlic, and tomatoes low and slow will further deepen the flavours, so if you're not short on time, I'd recommend cooking them until caramelised. 3. Make sure to stir the pot continuously once the stock and cream is added to prevent the orzo from sticking to the base of the pan.
Would I make this again? oh yes! It's a great mid-week meal!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Onion: we’re using white onion for this recipe but honestly, you could use shallots or red onion. You could also use onion granules if you that’s all you’ve got, but I love the fresh flavour and additional texture the cooked onions bring to the dish.
Garlic: fresh garlic cloves for this tomato orzo recipe. We’re adding 3 garlic cloves, but if you’re a garlic girl (or boy), then you know what to do (add as many cloves as your heart desires).
Oregano: I’ve used dried oregano on this occasion, but feel free to use fresh oregano (make sure to take it off the stem). If you don’t have oregano, you could season this orzo dish with dried parsley, basil, or a pot of mixed herbs.
Tomatoes: I’m using baby tomatoes for this recipe as I love their sweetness and small shape. Any plum/cherry tomatoes work really well. If you only have tinned tomatoes, then use them, but you won’t get those little pops of tomato in your bite.
Lemon: the zest of a lemon adds a wonderful freshness and summer-vibes. Don’t add in the lemon juice as this can become bitter and make the mixture split.
Balsamic vinegar: this adds an acidity to the dish that I love. You can totally omit if if you don’t fancy it.
Tomato paste: we’re using concentrated tomato paste for that punch of tomato rich flavour.
Orzo: one of my favourite pasta shapes…because I can eat it with a spoon. It’s the shape of rice but is ultimately a pasta. If you don’t have orzo, feel free to use any small pasta size like macaroni, stars, or spirali.
Chicken stock: I’ve used a Knorr stock cube with boiling water, but feel free to use chicken broth if you have it available. You can also use vegetable stock to keep it veggie.
Cream: single or light cream is great for this recipe. You can totally use heavy or double cream for extra richness, but I don’t feel like it’s necessary. Go for a plant-based option if you’re vegan.
Garnish: basil and grated parmesan and my favourite for this dish. Pangrattato would also be so great.
Step by step instructions with photos
Step 1: Place a large pan or skillet on medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add in your chopped onion and garlic. Leave to fry for 5 minutes until softened. Make sure to stir frequently to avoid burning.
Step 2: Season with salt and pepper, then add in the dried oregano, baby tomatoes, lemon zest, balsamic vinegar, and tomato paste. Fry that for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste is aromatic.
Step 3: Pour in the orzo followed by the chicken stock and single cream. Stir to combine, then leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the orzo doesn’t stick to the base of the pan.
Step 4: Once the orzo is cooked and the sauce has reduced and thickened, give it a taste and season accordingly with more salt and pepper. Sprinkle with basil, parmesan, and optionally some more lemon zest for a pop of colour! Enjoy!
What to do with leftovers
Storage: leave to cool, then transfer into airtight containers and into the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing: once again, leave to cool, then transfer into airtight containers (don’t forget to label with contents and the date), and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Leave to thaw or defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating: to reheat, you can either add a splash of milk or water to the container and leave the lid ajar, place in the microwave and heat until piping hot. Or, place the orzo into a pan with a splash of milk or water, and place it on low-medium heat. Stir frequently and leave to simmer until piping hot.
FAQs
For sure! Spinach, chopped zucchini, chopped red pepper, or chopped asparagus are great options.
I love to serve this orzo dish with a side salad or garlic bread.
For sure, make sure to use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. Use plant-based cream and a vegan parmesan for garnish.
More recipes you might enjoy!
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Creamy Tomato Orzo (One-Pot)
Ingredients
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 450 g baby tomatoes
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 100 g tomato paste
- 300 g orzo
- 600 ml chicken stock
- 300 ml cream single or light
- Parmesan grated
- Basil
Instructions
- Place a large pan or skillet on medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add in your chopped onion and garlic. Leave to fry for 5 minutes until softened. Make sure to stir frequently to avoid burning.
- Season with salt and pepper, then add in the dried oregano, baby tomatoes, lemon zest, balsamic vinegar, and tomato paste. Fry that for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste is aromatic.
- Pour in the orzo followed by the chicken stock and single cream. Stir to combine, then leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the orzo doesn’t stick to the base of the pan.
- Once the orzo is cooked (al dente) and the sauce has reduced and thickened, give it a taste and season accordingly with more salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle with basil, parmesan, and optionally some more lemon zest for a pop of colour! Enjoy!
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