The Recipe Rebel / Dinner
written by Ashley Fehr
Last updated on November 1, 2023
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These are the best Orzo recipes for easy weeknight dinners! From one pan creamy orzo to orzo soups, it’s one of the most versatile pastas and a favorite all around.
Orzo is one of our favorite pasta shapes, because it is small and can be used in a wide variety of recipes. Our kids also love it because it’s easy for them to scoop!
What is orzo?
Orzo is a small, flat pasta that looks like rice, in the sense that it is long and narrow and just a little larger.
It can be cooked like pasta, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, or similar to rice, in a one-pan method where it absorbs the majority of the cooking liquid as it simmers.
Like all pasta, it is perfect for taking on a variety of different flavors and can be paired with vegetables, meat, other proteins, and your favorite pasta sauce. It is perfect for warm and cold preparations!
See some of our favorite orzo recipes below, and let me know if you get a chance to try any!
How to cook orzo:
There are two methods for cooking orzo:
Traditional boiled method:
Simply bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the orzo pasta and cook until al dente, roughly 7-8 minutes (but always check the package and taste test for best results).
Rice method:
Bring 2 cups of salted water to a boil, then add in the uncooked orzo. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed.
Our favorite easy Orzo recipes:
Sun Dried Tomato and Spinach Orzo
Delicious and filling, this Sun Dried Tomato and Spinach Orzo one-pot dish is ready in less than 30 minutes! It's perfect for busy weeknights, or to serve at a dinner party or a special occasion!
Check out this recipe
Garlic Parmesan Orzo Recipe
This Garlic Parmesan Orzo Pasta is a one-pot recipe for tender orzo tossed in a light and cheesy cream sauce. It's simple to make and comes together in a total of 20 minutes!
Check out this recipe
Sausage Orzo Soup
Sausage Orzo Soup is filling, comforting, and so easy to make, with flavorful Italian sausage and yummy orzo pasta in a savory tomato sauce, it's perfect for warming up on a cold day or for feeding the whole family on busy weeknights!
Check out this recipe
One Pan Chicken Meatballs with Orzo
This One Pan Chicken Meatballs with Orzo recipe is so delicious, and only takes 45 minutes to make! With homemade chicken meatballs in a creamy Parmesan sauce, it's cooked with yummy Orzo pasta to make a filling dish the whole family will love!
Check out this recipe
Greek Pasta Salad
This Greek Pasta Salad recipe is flavorful and filling, made with the freshest ingredients and a homemade Greek dressing! It's very quick and easy to make, perfect to serve as a side dish with a hearty main, or as a light dinner on hot summer days.
Check out this recipe
One Pan Tuscan Orzo with Chicken
This amazingOne Pan Tuscan Orzo with Chickenrecipe is perfect for making a healthy, filling, quick, and easy dinner the whole family will love on busy weeknights!
Check out this recipe
Greek Chicken Orzo
Bursting with Mediterranean flavor, this Greek chicken orzo is the perfect weeknight dinner! It comes together in one pan in just 35 minutes.
Creamy Orzo Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash
This creamy orzo pasta with roasted butternut squash, kale, fresh sage and Parmesan cheese is a delicious and nutritious vegetarian dinner option.
Orzo Pasta Salad
Orzo Pasta Salad bursting with your favorite Greek fixings on your table in 30 minutes! It’s easy to make, exploding with bright flavors and textures and is make ahead friendly!
Parmesan Portobello Orzo – Budget Bytes
This super simple and flavorful Parmesan Portobello Orzo will become your next go-to side dish. Ready in 30 minutes, it pairs with chicken, beef, or pork.
Meet Ashley
My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!
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Comments
Jane Purslow says
AWESOME!!!!! Jane
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The Recipe Rebel says
Thank you!
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Penny says
Ashley, I love the recipes that you invent and post! Plus I love soup! Anyway, I was excited to see the Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, but when I tried to get the recipe, it only goes to an error message! I’ve been wanting this recipe for so long! Please, please check to see what went wrong when you posted it. Thanks so much in advance! Have a great week!
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The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Penny, I do not have a lemon chicken orzo soup on my site, so I am unsure what you are referring to.
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Joyce says
I love so many not your recipes and I would love to know if you have a good minestrone soup with orzo?
Reply
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Joyce, this is the only minestrone soup I have on the website: https://www.thereciperebel.com/minestrone-soup/ You could likely add orzo to this.
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