Creamy Garlic Parmesan Orzo
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It’s so easy to make this Creamy Garlic Parmesan Orzo in one pot and 20 minutes! This orzo pasta recipe can be served as a side dish, or turned into a main dish with the simple addition of roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, shrimp, or Italian sausage.
Orzo is a delicious little pasta that looks like rice, but has the taste and texture of pasta. It’s perfect for making salads or side dishes. And this creamy garlic parmesan orzo is a delicious side dish that you’ll want to make over and over again!
This dish is the perfect blank slate. It’s creamy and flavorful, but pairs well with so many things. It’s delicious with roasted tomatoes piled on top, so tasty paired with juicy shrimp or grilled chicken, and a great side dish paired with this balsamic salmon.
Cooking orzo is similar to cooking risotto, but you don’t have to continue ladling the broth over the orzo, like you do with risotto. Orzo simply cooks in the broth, soaking it in and giving it a great flavor and texture!
This also makes the dish so easy to make! You only need one pot, 20 minutes and 9 simple ingredients to make this recipe. It’s in the regular rotation at our house, and I hope it becomes a menu staple at your house too!
Ingredients
- Butter
- Garlic – I recommend fresh minced cloves for the best flavor.
- Orzo – while it may look like grains of rice, orzo is actually pasta. This means that it’s not gluten free. But you can purchase gluten-free orzo, and make this recipe gluten free.
- Chicken broth – feel free to purchase pre-made broth at the grocery store, or make your own at home using bouillon. To make this recipe vegetarian, use vegetable broth.
- Salt + black pepper – to season the orzo.
- Heavy cream – this is what takes the recipe from regular orzo, to creamy orzo. If you prefer, you can leave it out, but adding just ⅓ cup adds a wonderful creamy layer to the entire dish.
- Parmesan cheese – I recommend fresh-grated parmesan, so it melts perfectly into the dish.
- Parsley – I like to stir some fresh chopped parsley into the dish and sprinkle some on top for a garnish. You could use other fresh herbs, if you prefer, like fresh basil.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Toast the orzo. Melt butter in a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add orzo pasta to the skillet, toss to coat it in the garlic butter and toast the orzo for 2-3 minutes.
- Simmer the orzo. Pour chicken broth into the pan and season the dish with salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then reduce the heat on the stove to medium low. Cook the orzo in the simmering broth for about 15 minutes uncovered, stirring frequently. The pasta should absorb almost all of the broth during this time, and the texture of the pasta should be tender.
- Make it creamy! Once the texture of the pasta is cooked to your preference, add heavy cream, parmesan cheese and parsley to the skillet. Stir to combine everything, then serve immediately.
Ways to serve it
This creamy garlic parmesan orzo is the perfect side dish for a variety of meals, and pairs great with Italian food! You can also serve it as a main dish with added protein or vegetables. Try it in a variety of different ways, then pick your favorite!
- Serve it with grilled chicken – I love pairing this orzo recipe with Greek marinated grilled chicken or grilled chicken thighs.
- Top it with shrimp – these grilled bacon wrapped shrimp or shrimp scampi are delicious on top of the creamy orzo.
- Serve it with salmon – one of my favorite meals is pairing this creamy orzo with balsamic glazed salmon. The entire meal comes together in 20 minutes, and it’s so delicious!
- Top it with Italian sausage or meatballs – for an easy protein addition, simply grill Italian sausage links, then slice them up and serve them on top of the orzo. Or for even more flavor, make my easy homemade Italian meatballs and serve them with the orzo!
- Add vegetables – to make this dish vegetarian, use vegetable broth in the orzo, then top the dish with veggies. I like to serve it with sauteed mushrooms, roasted cauliflower, smashed broccoli, or grilled asparagus.
- Top with roasted cherry tomatoes – another vegetarian option is to top the orzo with roasted tomatoes. To do this, toss 2 cups of cherry tomatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, ¼ teaspoon sea salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Roast the tomatoes on a baking sheet in a 400°F oven for 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to burst.
Storage and reheating
Store leftover garlic parmesan orzo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
I like to reheat it in the microwave for 2 minutes, but you could also reheat it in a pot on the stove over medium heat. If it appears that the orzo is drying out, add 1-2 tablespoons broth or water.
More pasta recipes
Try these other popular pasta recipes for dinner this week!
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Orzo
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 ½ cups dry orzo pasta
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the orzo pasta, toss to coat in the butter and toast for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, salt and pepper and bring the liquid to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, for 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is cooked to your preference.
- Stir in the heavy cream, parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.
Notes
- To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten-free orzo.
- To make this recipe vegetarian, use vegetable broth, instead of chicken broth.
- Store leftover garlic parmesan orzo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- I like to reheat it in the microwave for 2 minutes, but you could also reheat it in a pot on the stove over medium heat. If it appears that the orzo is drying out, add 1-2 tablespoons broth or water.
Nutrition Facts
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