orzo bake

Broccoli, orzo, and chickpeas are baked in an asiago cream sauce in this cozy vegetarian casserole.

Broccoli Orzo Casserole

orzo

broccoli

unsalted butter

shallot (diced)

garlic (minced)

kosher salt (plus

all-purpose flour

half and half

pasta water

asiago cheese (see note

black pepper

Old Bay seasoning (divided)

(15.5 ounce) can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)

breadcrumbs

butter

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Stir in 1 ½ cups of orzo. Set a timer for 2 minutes less than the recommended cook time for al dente orzo. For example, if the package recommends 7 to 9 minutes, set a timer for 5 minutes.

When that timer is up, stir in the broccoli florets. The broccoli will be vivid green and turn tender in 2 to 3 minutes. The orzo should be al dente at the same time. Drain both the broccoli and the orzo, reserving at least ½ cup of the pasta water.

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, stir in the shallot, garlic, and salt. Saute, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes.

When the shallot and garlic are golden, sprinkle in the flour. Cook for just 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, to toast the flour.

Slowly whisk in the half-and-half ¼ cup at a time. Whisk in the ½ cup of reserved pasta water. Bring to a very gentle simmer over medium heat.

Stir in the shredded cheese, black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning. Once the cheese is melted, turn the heat off the stove and set the cheesy sauce aside.

Transfer the cooked orzo, broccoli, and drained chickpeas to a lightly oiled 9x13-inch baking dish. Pour in the cheesy sauce. Stir to combine.

Combine the breadcrumbs, melted butter, and remaining Old Bay seasoning in a medium bowl. Sprinkle across the top of the orzo bake.

Bake at 375F for 12-15 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden. Remove from the oven and serve. Enjoy!

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1697896371/yq3m70fvxvzctsdthkgd.mp4

This cheesy broccoli orzo is a balanced and comforting crowd-pleasing vegetarian casserole! This balanced bake features orzo tossed in an asiago cream sauce alongside nutritious broccoli and chickpeas.

Cheesy Broccoli Orzo Bake

Creamy tomato mozzarella baked orzo

tomatoes

olive oil

tbsp balsamic vinegar

garlic

tsp salt

tsp black pepper

500 g (1lb) orzo (Other pasta rice can be substituted)

basil (chopped)

stock/broth

heavy cream/whipping cream.

mozzarella

mozzarella (optional)

Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F.

In a baking dish, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper.

Bake the tomatoes for 10 minutes until they&#39;re starting to burst.

Add the fresh basil and orzo then pour in the stock/broth. Place back into the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and pour in the cream then stir through the orzo and add the mozzarella.

Return to the oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the orzo is cooked through.

Remove from the oven and serve.

This chicken orzo pasta bake is rich, creamy and irresistibly cheesy – and effortless to make! After a little prepping, everything cooks together in one dish - including the orzo - for maximum flavour and minimal fuss. Just the way we like it.

Creamy Chicken Orzo Pasta Bake

cooking oil

onion,

minced/chopped garlic

oregano

(450 grams) dry orzo

(100 grams) sun-dried tomatoes

oil tomatoes

chicken stock

(250 milliliters) heavy cream

lemon

lemon juice

(750 milliliters) cooked rotisserie chicken, diced into bite-sized pieces (include some of the skin for flavour)

1½ cup (375 milliliters) mozzarella cheese, grated

(250 milliliters) parmesan cheese, finely grated

salt (or

basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease an ovenproof casserole dish, approximately 13&quot; x 9&quot; (33cm x 23cm) or a round shallow dish with a diameter of about 12&quot; (30cm).

Heat the oil in a large pan, then add the onions and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelised and soft.

Add the garlic and oregano (or Italian herbs) to the pan with the onions and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Be careful not to let it burn.

Add the dry orzo, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and the three tablespoons of reserved oil from the sun-dried tomatoes to the pan.Cook together for 2 minutes over low heat, lightly toasting the orzo until it’s coated with the oil and glossy. Keep moving it around to ensure it doesn’t stick to the pan.Remove from the heat.

Add the chicken stock, cream, lemon zest and lemon juice to the prepared ovenproof dish and stir to combine.

To the cream mixture, add the orzo mix, diced chicken, broccoli, half the mozzarella, half the parmesan, salt and pepper.

Stir everything together so it’s well mixed, then press down gently to make sure the orzo is fully submerged in the liquid for even cooking.

Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan evenly over the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40–45 minutes or until the orzo is cooked through and the cheese is golden and bubbling. About halfway through, check the liquid - if you want it a little saucier, pour in a splash of cream or chicken stock and gently mix it in with a fork, keeping the cheesy top as undisturbed as possible.

Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving - this gives the sauce time to settle, soak in and bring all those delicious flavours together.Scatter a few basil leaves over the top just before serving. Totally optional, but it adds a fresh, fragrant finish.

Top 3 orzo bake recipes from across the web

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Top Tags

Broccoli Orzo Casserole

Creamy tomato mozzarella baked orzo

Creamy Chicken Orzo Pasta Bake

Top 3 orzo bake recipes from across the web

The most viewed orzo bake recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Broccoli Orzo Casserole

Creamy tomato mozzarella baked orzo

Creamy Chicken Orzo Pasta Bake

The most viewed orzo bake recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine