Name: Tomato u0026#038; Mushroom Orzo
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 400 g Mushrooms; 500 g Cherry Tomatoes; 3 cloves Garlic; 1 tbsp dried Basil; 1 tsp Paprika; 1 medium Brown Onion; 50 g Tomato Paste; 400 g Orzo Pasta; 500 ml Vegetable Stock; 100 g Baby Spinach; 1 large Mozzarella Ball; 2 tbsp Olive Oil; 2 pinch Salt u0026 Pepper

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

JUMP TO RECIPE

Tomato and Mushroom Orzo is a simple, warm meal that is perfect when you are craving a comforting meal. Whenever this meal is made, it’s like going home and getting a big hug. The combination of the baked, garlic mushrooms and tomatoes blended with the melted mozzarella give the dish a big punch of flavour. You will be wanting to go back for seconds or maybe even thirds.

What is Orzo?

Orzo, also known as risoni, is rice shaped, tiny pasta. It is often made from wheat semolina flour or white flour but over the past few years, whole wheat and gluten- free options have been made available.

Preparing Orzo is also super simple. All you have to do is boil until al dente (approximately 8-10 minutes) it in a pot of salted water and drain it as you would with any other pasta. However, for this recipe we will be cooking it slightly different. 1 cup raw orzo will give you about 2 cups cooked.

The best thing about Orzo is that it is a simple yet delicious side dish or can be made into a whole meal. It is also great for vegetarian and vegan meals.

Ingredients needed to make Tomato & Mushroom Orzo

Mushrooms: white mushrooms (also known as button mushrooms) are perfect for this recipe.
Cherry Tomatoes: You can use large tomatoes but due to their extra sweetness cherry tomatoes work best.
Spices: salt and pepper, fresh garlic, paprika and basil add all the flavour to this meal.
Chicken: Breasts work best for this meal. You could easily use chicken thighs if you would prefer. You may just have to reduce the cooking time.
Orzo: You can use regular, whole wheat or even gluten- free orzo pasta for this recipe.
Mozzarella Ball: fresh is always best. Grated mozzarella will work but it won’t be as tasty as a fresh mozzarella ball.

Tips on success

When toasting the Orzo with the tomato paste, be sure to keep stirring to avoid any burning or browning of the pasta. You will try to make it as translucent as possible.
Don’t overcook the pasta. Orzo cooks quickly so make sure you keep an eye on it.
Add the mozzarella at the last minute. Melted mozzarella is super delicious but it is also super stringy (which makes it even better). Add it in the last minute allows it to melt just right.

How to store leftovers?

Even though this dish is best when it is freshly cooked, you can easily enjoy the leftovers over the following 2-3 days. Store in an air tight container in the fridge. When wanting to reheat, place in a saucepan with a small amount of water, to prevent it from burning or drying out, and allow to reheat. You can easily pop it in the microwave for 2 minutes if in a pinch.