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Simple Cheesy Orzo Recipe
- Ready In: 20 minutes
- Serves: 8
- Main Ingredients: Orzo pasta, cheddar cheese, chicken broth, and butter.
- Dietary Info: vegetarian
- Why You’ll Love It: This is one of my go-to side dishes when I want something that I know the kiddos will gobble up. It pairs wonderfully with any protein, making it a weeknight winner.
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Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Orzo pasta – One of our favorite pasta shapes for soups, one-skillet meals, and this cheesy side. You could swap this with rice but you’ll need to adjust the liquid accordingly.
- Chicken Broth – Can swap with water.
- Cheddar Cheese – Can swap with colby jack cheese.
How To Make Cheesy Orzo
Step 1 – Cook orzo al dente.
Step 2 – Add remaining ingredients to cooked orzo.
Pro Tip
Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water to mix with the cheesy orzo to thin as needed. Just add a little at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
Step 3 – Stir until cheese melts.
Step 4 – Enjoy creamy cheesy orzo!
What Should I Serve With Cheesy Orzo
This creamy orzo recipe would be great with just about anything! We love serving it alongside some Oven Baked Meatballs (Baked Chicken Meatballs or Ground Turkey Meatballs), Cast Iron Chicken Thighs, Oven Baked Pork Chops, or Easy Chicken Tenders.
More Easy Orzo Recipes You Might Like
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Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups orzo
- 1 – 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Boil Orzo: Add 3 cups water and 2 cups chicken broth to a medium-saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Add 1 ½ cups orzo and let simmer, uncovered, 8-10 minutes or until cooked al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain and return orzo to the pan but remove from heat.
- Combine: Add 1 – 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, 1 tablespoon butter, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon lemon zest and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper. Gently stir to combine – the cheese will take a minute to fully melt. Add splashes of the reserved pasta water to thin out and make the consistency more creamy.
- Adjust + Serve: Taste and add any additional salt, pepper or lemon zest. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Chicken Broth: you can use all water, BUT for best results use the recommended chicken broth – it really brings in a ton of added flavor!
- Lemon Zest: we don’t want it to taste too lemony, that tiny bit of zest goes a long way and just amplifies the flavor by adding a bit of acidity!
- Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Serving: we love serving this with these Oven Baked Meatballs and if you want to add some veggies, we suggest Easy Steamed Broccoli!
liz says
My pasta and cheese obsessed family loved this!
Bridget Montag says
Yay! So glad that everyone likes it!
Erin says
So easy and so good!
Jennifer says
Delicious! Definitely making again.
Alyson says
So delicious! The lemon zest really elevates the dish. Paired it with mini meatballs. Will definitely be making again.
Erin says
Love to hear it Alyson!