This One Pan Broccoli Orzo is a delicious easy weeknight dinner that can be ready on the table in just 30 minutes! It's creamy, cheesy, and hearty. You can serve its own or with a side of protein like roasted chicken, meat, or fish! It's great for meal prep and it reheats really well!
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Why You'll Love This Broccoli Orzo
Made in one pan - Hassle-free one-pan dinners are some of my favorite recipes to make and this one is so good! It comes together in less than 30 minutes and it stores really well so the leftovers are just as delicious. It's a cross between my One Pan Pesto Orzo and this Creamy Broccoli Pasta. I wanted to make a vegetarian version of the pesto orzo with shrimp and broccoli is one of my favorite veggies so it was a no-brainer!
Serve it on its own or with protein - This orzo can make a great side for roasted chicken, salmon, or steak. It's made to be served as a main but serving it as a side stretches it into more servings if you're trying to feed more people!
Ingredients
- Orzo pasta - Orzo is a type of small pasta shaped like rice made from durum wheat. It holds its shape really well and it's perfect for one-pan dinners like this one, soups, and salads.
- Broccoli - I like using fresh broccoli florets here but frozen and defrosted broccoli works too. You want the broccoli to be cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Yellow onion - Yellow onion works the best with the flavors in this orzo but red or white onion works too if that's what you have. You could also use spring onion.
- Vegetable broth - To keep this dish vegetarian, I'm using vegetable broth but chicken broth is great too.
- Pecorino cheese - Both grated parmesan cheese and pecorino cheese work here but I like using sheep pecorino cheese more because it has a stronger flavor and it's saltier. Keep in mind they're both usually made with sheep rennet so always check the packaging if you need it to be vegetarian.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic adds a ton of flavor to this dish. I like using 3-4 cloves but you can use less or more based on your preference. You can also use garlic powder in a pinch.
- Dried herbs - Italian Seasoning is my favorite here but any herb mix works. Any mix of oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and/or marjoram or sage is great here.
- Cooking oil - If you know me you know I always use avocado oil for cooking. It has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor. Any cooking oil you have on hand and like using works though.
- Sea salt - I like using fine sea salt when I'm measuring it and want to be precise. If I'm not, I use freshly ground Himalayan pink salt. Other types of salt like table salt or kosher salt might be saltier.
Variations and Substitutions
- Make it gluten-free - Depending on where you live, you may be able to find gluten-free orzo but you can also make this dish with rice or quinoa. If you use arborio rice, you can turn this into a delicious creamy risotto! The cooking time and amount of vegetable broth you'll need will vary. With arborio risotto, you want to add your broth gradually until the risotto is creamy.
- Make it vegan - The only thing that's not vegan is the pecorino here. You can use a dairy-free alternative like vegan parmesan or any other type of melty vegan cheese. You can also use nutritional yeast to add that umami flavor and cheesiness.
- Different cheese - You can use grated sharp cheddar cheese if you don't have parmesan or pecorino. It will melt into a delicious cheesy sauce, cheesier than parmesan or pecorino alone. You can also use both cheddar and parmesan!
- Heavy cream - If you want to make this orzo extra creamy, add some heavy cream at the end of cooking. It will give it kind of a creamy Alfredo sauce flavor! You can also cook the onions in butter instead of oil for even more flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add avocado oil and diced onion to a large pan (a saute pan if you have it) over medium-high heat.
- Cook the onion on medium heat for 4-5 minutes until glossy and slightly golden. Add more oil if needed.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until just fragrant.
- Add the dry orzo and stir it with the oil and onions to toast it for a minute.
- Season with Italian seasoning and sea salt and add vegetable broth. Start with a little bit at first to deglaze the pan, stirring to prevent the orzo from sticking.
- Add the rest of the broth and stir to mix everything.
- Top with broccoli florets and bring the broth to a boil.
- Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the orzo isn't sticking to the pan. Add more vegetable broth or water if needed, there should still be some left at this point.
- Add pecorino or parmesan cheese, lemon juice, red pepper flakes (if using), and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Stir and keep simmering on low heat until the orzo has absorbed all the broth. The orzo should be tender. You don't have to worry about overcooking it too much, it keeps its shape really well. Add more vegetable broth if needed.
- Stir in finely chopped fresh herbs and serve with more pecorino, fresh herbs, and black pepper. Enjoy!
Expert Tips!
- Don't toss the broccoli stems - You can cut off the thick outer layer, chop the stem into bite-sized pieces, and add it to the skillet with the broccoli florets. You can also freeze broccoli stems and use them for vegetable stock later.
Serving and Storing
The orzo is best served right away while it's still hot. You can serve it on its own or with a side of protein. It's delicious with chicken or fish but other meat or tofu are great additions as well. I love it with roasted salmon! I can imagine it would be delicious with roasted turkey or chicken meatballs as well.
Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I don't recommend freezing it. I haven't tested it but pasta and cheese don't tend to freeze well.
Reheating: You can reheat it either in a non-stick pan or in a small saucepan with a splash of water to avoid the orzo burning or sticking to your pan or pot.
FAQs
It could be mushy because you either overcooked it or you didn't add enough liquid so it didn't cook properly so it's sticking together which is more likely because orzo doesn't overcook easily. I recommend just adding more vegetable broth.
It most likely just needs more water and cooking time. Simmer it for a few more minutes with extra broth or water and add some extra grated parmesan. The liquid, parmesan, and starch from the pasta should create a creamy shiny sauce.
Other Orzo Recipes
Orzo is a pasta shape that isn't used as often as other more common ones, though it's been getting more popular in recent years. It's one of my favorite pasta shapes to cook with and if you haven't cooked with it much yet, definitely give any of the four recipes below a try if you like this broccoli orzo! The pesto orzo is one of my all-time favorites!
To see all the latest ones, head over to Pasta Recipes.
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Print📖 Recipe
One Pan Broccoli Orzo
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This One Pan Broccoli Orzo is a delicious easy weeknight dinner that can be ready on the table in just 30 minutes! It's creamy, cheesy, and hearty. You can serve its own or with a side of protein like roasted chicken, meat, or fish!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil (or other cooking oil)
- ½ cup finely diced yellow onion (1 small onion)
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cup dry orzo
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning (or other mixed herbs)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 3 ½ - 4 cups vegetable broth (I used low-sodium broth)
- 4 cups broccoli florets (cut into bite-sized pieces, 1-2 heads of broccoli)
- ½-¾ cup pecorino or parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Black pepper to taste
- 2-3 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley or chives (optional)
Instructions
- Add avocado oil and diced onion to a large pan over medium-high heat.
- Cook the onion on medium heat for 4-5 minutes until glossy and slightly golden. Add more oil if needed.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until just fragrant.
- Add dry orzo and stir it with the oil and onions to toast it gently for a minute.
- Season with Italian seasoning and sea salt and add vegetable broth. Start with a little bit at first to deglaze the pan, stirring to prevent the orzo from sticking.
- Add the rest of the broth and stir to mix everything.
- Top with broccoli florets and bring the broth to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the orzo doesn’t stick.
- Add pecorino or parmesan, lemon juice, red pepper flakes if using, and black pepper to taste. Stir and keep simmering on low heat until the orzo has absorbed all the broth.
- Stir in finely chopped fresh herbs and serve with more pecorino, chopped herbs, and black pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
Storing: Store any leftover orzo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing it.
Reheating: Reheat the orzo in a saucepan or a pan on the stove with a splash of water to prevent it from sticking.
Optional add-ins: You can add grated mozzarella at the end of cooking to make it extra cheesy or heavy cream along with the broth to make it creamier.
Veronika Sykorova says
This is my new favorite go-to meatless dinner and I hope you like it as much as I do!