Tuscan Orzo

Tuscan orzo is a one-pot meal made in just 30 minutes with simple ingredients. It's creamy, cozy comfort food at its best. The post Tuscan Orzo appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Food & Nutritions Jun 14, 2024 0 37 Add to Reading List

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Pasta, veggies, and an addictively creamy sauce? Say no more! I’m all about quick one-pot weeknight meals these days; juggling work, a toddler, and a barnyard full of animals to care for (I see you, busy moms!). This Tuscan Orzo recipe gets the job done! Made in just 30 minutes with simple ingredients, this big-batch pasta dish will feed the whole family. Creamy, tomatoey pasta with wilty spinach is cozy comfort food at its best.

What Is Tuscan Orzo?

Tuscan orzo is a dish that is made in the Tuscan tradition of simple, inexpensive meals that can easily be made in large amounts. Orzo pasta is extra delicious in cooked in a creamy tomatoey broth until it is rich, thick, and super flavorful!

Here’s what you’ll need to make Tuscan orzo:

Olive Oil: Helps the onions and garlic cook without burning.
Butter: Adds richness to the dish.
Onion: Adds a touch of sweet and earthy flavor.
Garlic: Enhances the savory and earthy flavors of the dish.
Italian Seasoning: Adds that classic Italian flavor.
Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice adds a pop of acidity that balances and brightens this creamy dish.
Dijon Mustard: Has a spicy, slightly bitter flavor that enhances the savory elements of this dish.
Petite Diced Tomatoes: You can choose to strain your canned tomatoes and make up for the ½ cup of liquid (give or take) by adding a little more vegetable broth. I love the tomatoey flavor (and extra vitamin C!), so I left the tomato juice in.
Orzo Pasta: Despite its rice-like shape, this is actually a type of pasta. It gives this dish a texture similar to risotto but in much less time.
Vegetable Broth: I used vegetable bouillon to keep this budget-friendly.
Heavy Cream: Makes this dish super rich and creamy.
Parmesan Cheese: Adds savory umami flavor.
Baby Spinach: A great way to sneak in some greens and adds a mellow vegetal flavor.
Parsley: Adds a pop of freshness and color.
Salt and Pepper: Enhance the overall flavor of the dish.

What Else Can I Add?

This is a pretty hefty dish all by itself and makes a great vegetarian main, but you can add protein to it if you like. Garlic Herb Baked Chicken Breast would make an excellent addition if you have meat-eaters in the fam. Personally, I love adding chopped kalamata olives, balsamic roasted mushrooms, and extra veggies. Substituting the dairy in this recipe is so easy these days, too. So, if you’re vegan, you can easily tweak it to your liking using plant-based milks and cheeses!

Make sure the orzo simmers and doesn’t boil. The liquid will evaporate too quickly if it’s left to boil, leading to undercooked orzo.
A lot of Tuscan orzo recipes call for more expensive sundried tomatoes, but I substituted with canned petite diced tomatoes and I think it came out even better. Sometimes, I find sundried tomatoes to be extra salty, so this version really highlights all of the ingredients without being overly salty.
Bring the cream to room temperature before using to ensure it doesn’t curdle from the temperature shock when you add it to the hot orzo.
Half-and-half would work in place of the cream, but I do not recommend using milk, as the orzo won’t be as rich or creamy. You can make this recipe vegan by substituting plant-based cream and vegan cheese… it’s so easy to find easy substitutions these days.
If the orzo seems watery at the end of cooking, you can simmer it for a bit longer. It will continue to absorb the liquid and thicken.

Tuscan Orzo

Tuscan orzo is a one-pot meal made in just 30 minutes with simple ingredients. It's creamy, cozy comfort food at its best.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Total Cost ($7.54 recipe / $1.88 serving)

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings (1.5 cups per serving)

Calories 390kcal

Author Jess – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil $0.40
2 Tbsp butter $0.27
1/2 medium onion, chopped $0.30
4 cloves garlic, minced $0.20
1 tsp Italian seasoning $0.10
1 14.5oz. can roasted petite diced tomatoes $0.89
1 tsp lemon juice $0.02
1 tsp Dijon mustard $0.02
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta $1.65
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth $0.12
1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature $0.84
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan $1.48
1 cup fresh baby spinach, packed $1.10
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley $0.10
Salt & pepper to taste $0.05

Instructions

Add the oil, butter, and onion to a pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 3-4 minutes.
Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, canned tomatoes, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and orzo. Stir often, cooking for 3 minutes.
Add the vegetable broth and room temperature cream. Once it starts to bubble, turn the heat down to medium-low and continue cooking for 10 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally so the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. It should steadily simmer but not boil. You don’t want all of the liquid to evaporate.
Take the pot off the heat and stir in the parmesan, spinach, and parsley. Stir again and cover the pot for a few minutes until it has thickened up to your liking.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

stirring tuscan orzo in a pan with a wooden spoon.

how to make Tuscan Orzo – step by step photos

Add 1 Tbsp olive oil, 2 Tbsp butter, and 1/2 of a medium chopped onion to a pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 3-4 minutes.

tomatoes and orzo added to sauteed onions in a pan.

Add 4 minced cloves garlic, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, a 14.5-oz. can of roasted petite diced tomatoes, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, and 1 cup of orzo. Stir often, cooking for 3 minutes.

cream poured over tomatoey orzo in a pan.

Add 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth and 1/2 cup room temperature heavy cream. Once it starts to bubble, turn the heat down to medium-low and continue cooking for 10 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally so the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. It should steadily simmer but not boil. You don’t want all of the liquid to evaporate.

parsley, spinach , and cheese added to creamy tuscan orzo in a pan.

Take the pot off the heat, and stir in 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, 1 cup baby spinach, and 2 Tbsp minced parsley. Stir again and cover the pot for a few minutes until it has thickened up to your liking.