Easy Cheesy Parmesan Orzo

A simple no-fail side dish recipe with orzo pasta cooked in a parmesan cream sauce that comes together in minutes and cooks perfectly every time.

JUMP TO RECIPE

Anyone who’s been on the blog much knows how much I LOVE rice. You may also know my Canadian husband does not share my passion for it and gets a little disgruntled that I cook it so much more than other starchy sides like potatoes and pasta.

I had some spicy Italian sausage to throw on the grill for supper the other day and wasn’t sure what else I was going to serve with it when I remembered I had a box of orzo.

I’d made one of my favorite Mediterranean recipes to share with y’all next week – Spicy Orzo with Chickpeas – and decided to whip up some cheesy orzo which would make everybody happy because it’s PASTA that eats a lot like RICE.

Holla!

I’d seen Rachel Ray make something like this when she had that 30-Minute Meals show and I used to make it a lot when I was single 100 years ago.

Then I kinda forgot about it. 100 years is a long time.

Since it’s definitely got an Italian vibe with the parmesan and garlic AND because it’s one of the quickest, easiest homemade side dish recipes on earth, I knew it would be perfect with the simple grilled Italian sausage.

I whipped up this batch while I was sautéing some onions and peppers to go with the sausages and couldn’t believe I’d never made this for my family.

I mean, it’s SO EASY and it’s 100% HOMEMADE and everybody loves it because it’s SO GOOD.

I can’t count how many times I’ve reached for one of those instant pasta side dish packets with the powdered whatever in the bottom on a busy weeknight and the whole time I could have been making this. UGH.

NOTES ABOUT MAKING THIS RECIPE FOR EASY CHEESY PARMESAN ORZO

• Sautéing the orzo and garlic in butter for a few minutes before cooking really amps of the flavor of the pasta, giving it a toasted, almost nutty flavor and mellows out the garlic.
• Feel free to use vegetable or beef broth instead of chicken.
• Broth is best but if you’re in a pinch, you can use water with these changes: use half water and half milk (1.5 cups of each), definitely taste for salt as you’ll need more than if using broth.
• DO NOT add the parmesan until you’re ready to serve as it will cause the creamy sauce to thicken a lot after it starts to cool.
• If a lot of steam escapes while the orzo is cooking, you may need to add more liquid (broth, milk or even water is fine). We want the orzo to be a little saucy and creamy, not dry or fluffy like rice.

OTHER QUICK & EASY SIDE DISH RECIPES

Walk-Away Noodles - Throw everything in the pot and walk away for perfectly cooked, savory, saucy hot buttered noodles that are the perfect side dish recipe for any meal! 

Garlic Butter & Mushroom Rice - Fresh mushrooms sautéed with garlic and butter cooked with rice on the stovetop in a savory, beefy stock for a quick and easy rice pilaf side dish. 

Polish Noodles with Sour Cream & Onions - A simple homemade side dish recipe with egg noodles, sauteed onions and a simple sour cream sauce very much like Beef Stroganoff or Noodles Romanoff. 

Classic Rice Almondine - A timeless side dish recipe with crunchy toasted almonds stirred into tender, savory rice made with buttery sauteed onions and garlic. 

Recipe for Easy Cheesy Parmesan Orzo

Easy Cheesy Parmesan Orzo

Yield: 6 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 20 Min

A simple no-fail side dish recipe with orzo pasta cooked in a parmesan cream sauce that comes together in minutes and cooks perfectly every time.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a 2-quart shallow saucepan over medium heat. Add orzo then gently stir and cook for 3 minutes or until a few pieces of orzo start to darken to a toasted color.
2. Add garlic then continue cooking and gently stirring for 2 minutes.
3. Add chicken broth and milk, season with salt and pepper to taste then bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes or until orzo is al dente. Stir frequently to ensure the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom.
4. Remove orzo from heat. When ready to serve, stir in parmesan cheese. Do not add parmesan until ready to serve.

Notes

• Sautéing the orzo and garlic in butter for a few minutes before cooking really amps of the flavor of the pasta, giving it a toasted, almost nutty flavor and mellows out the garlic.
• Feel free to use vegetable or beef broth instead of chicken.
• Broth is best but if you’re in a pinch, you can use water with these changes: use half water and half milk (1.5 cups of each), definitely taste for salt as you’ll need more than if using broth.
• DO NOT add the parmesan until you’re ready to serve as it will cause the creamy sauce to thicken a lot after it starts to cool.
• If a lot of steam escapes while the orzo is cooking, you may need to add more liquid (broth, milk or even water is fine). We want the orzo to be a little saucy and creamy, not dry or fluffy like rice.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

237.52

Fat

6.99 g

Sat. Fat

4.55 g

Carbs

31.09 g

Fiber

1.21 g

Net carbs

29.89 g

Protein

9.26 g

Sodium

405.43 mg

Iron

0.54 mg

Calcium

83.59 mg

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2023/11/easy-cheesy-parmesan-orzo.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2023

orzo, pasta, cheesy, parmesan, garlic, cream, creamy, milk, cheese, easy, side dish, rachel ray, fool proof, best

side dish

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