Looking for a new, delicious side dish recipe? Look no further, this quick & easy Cheesy Orzo recipe has the best creamy, cheesy texture and is so simple! The whole family is going to love this one!
One Pot Cheesy Orzo
On those busy weeknights, we love nothing more than quick, simple dinner recipes! This is the best cheesy orzo recipe that can be made in just one pot. We love making our Cheesy Chicken & Rice, so we knew we had to bring this same great cheesiness to our favorite pasta shape – orzo. Orzo pasta looks a lot like rice but is actually a pasta. It has quickly become one of our favorite grains to cook!
If you also love orzo, you should also checkout our Parmesan Chicken Orzo! Another quick weeknight dinner option!
What You Will Need
- orzo – a great rice alternative that is a tasty and easy to cook pasta.
- chicken broth – pick-up your favorite broth or chicken stock from your local grocery store or make your own!
- water – mixed with the chicken broth it is used for cooking your pasta to al dente.
- butter – this adds a little bit of fat to the recipe to round out the flavor.
- kosher salt & ground black pepper – simple seasonings that are always a must!
- lemon zest – a little bit of acidity to really amplify all the great flavors.
- colby jack cheese – this is the shredded cheese that we used, but feel free to change it up with sharp cheddar cheese or even a dairy-free option, if that’s your thing.
How To Make Cheesy Orzo
To begin this easy pasta side dish, bring the chicken broth and water to a boil in a medium saucepan on medium high heat. Once it begins to boil, mix in the orzo, drop the heat to a simmer and let it cook for about 8-10 minutes or until al dente.
Drain your orzo and place it back in the bottom. Keep the pan off the heat and add the butter, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and cheese to the pot. Mix to fully combine.
Pro tip: reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water to mix with the cheesy orzo if it is a little too thick for you. Just add a little at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
Continue to mix everything together and when it is ready, serve with any of your favorite main dishes!
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 (Chicken or Turkey Meatballs), Cast Iron Chicken Thighs, Oven Baked Pork Chops, or Chicken Tenders.
Made this recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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Cheesy Orzo
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
Cheesy Orzo – a simple and delicious cheesy orzo recipe that is packed with flavor and the perfect side dish for any meal!
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 1/2 cup orzo
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 – 1/2 cups colby jack cheese, grated
Instructions
- Add chicken broth and water to a medium-saucepan.
- Cover and bring to a boil.
- Add 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.
- Add butter, salt, pepper, a little lemon zest and the cheese. 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.
- 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 Baked Meatballs and if you want to add some veggies, we suggest Steamed Broccoli!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz
- Calories: 177
- Sugar: 0.7 g
- Sodium: 483 mg
- Fat: 9.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Protein: 9.6 g
- Cholesterol: 31.2 mg
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!