Cheesy Orzo Pasta Recipe
Simple and delicious Cheesy Orzo comes together in 20 minutes, uses just a few ingredients, and tastes amazing with any protein.
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!
Nutrition
Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 530mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 291IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 1mg
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