📋Creamy Garlic Parmesan Orzo

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📋Creamy Garlic Parmesan Orzo

Creamy, cheesy, garlic-flavored parmesan orzo is an effortless one-pot comfort dish that's perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Tender orzo is gently simmered in fragrant garlic, shallot-infused flavored broth, and finished with cream, Parmesan, and fresh parsley. Toast orzo pasta in butter/olive oil for a deep nutty flavor.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main, pasta, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 516kcal

Author: Jyothi Rajesh

Ingredients

1 cup orzo pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ tablespoon butter
1 small shallot diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 ½ cups vegetable broth
½ cup half n half or heavy cream
¼ cup Parmesan freshly grated
Pinch of salt
⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
⅛ teaspoon red chili flakes
Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

Melt butter in a large pan. Sauté shallots until they turn translucent.
Sauté garlic until fragrant.
Add olive oil to the pan, and toast the orzo pasta. This adds a deep, nutty flavor.
Do not brown orzo; toast on medium heat until it just begins to brown.
Pour the broth and season with a pinch of salt.
When broth begins to boil, turn heat and cover the pan with a lid, and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes.
Do not overcook orzo. It has to be al dente. Once orzo is cooked al dente, turn off the heat.
Add the cream and mix it well.
Remove pan from heat—season with ground pepper and red chili flakes to taste.
Grate Parmesan and mix until Parmesan melts into the sauce.
Additional step – add fresh lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice to garlic Parmesan orzo.

Video

Notes

Toast orzo pasta in butter/olive oil for a deep nutty flavor to enhance the taste of the dish.
Don’t overcook orzo. Always cook orzo pasta al dente. Orzo cooks pretty fast and turns mushy if overcooked.
Always buy a Parmesan cheese block and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese from the store usually has chemicals to keep it from lumping together, and it does melt well.
Feel free to include your favorite vegetables.
To take a creamy garlic Parmesan orzo pasta dish to the next level, add seasonings – salt, pepper, and red chili flakes to taste. Do not forget to garnish with fresh parsley or substitute with fresh basil or fresh thyme.

Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition