This ultra creamy orzo is made with mushrooms and pesto in just one pot! It's packed with flavor and ready in just under 30 minutes.
A handful of pantry staples like jarred pesto and capers mix with fresh ingredients like baby bell mushrooms and shallots in this flavorful, warming main dish.
Recipe features
- Diet-friendly: vegetarian, vegan-optional, soy-free and nut-free
- Made in just one pot
- Ready in 30 minutes
- Only 9 ingredients needed!
- Easy to customize
What you'll need
Orzo: This is a type of pasta that is shaped like a large grain of rice. It can be found in the pasta aisle at most grocery stores. Orzo cooks at a 1:2 ratio, so 1 cup of orzo will need 2 cups of liquid.
Just like with risotto, the starches in orzo make this dish naturally creamy without adding any cream or cheese.
Mushrooms: Baby bella are my go-to due to their rich flavor, but white or crimini mushrooms also work. If you don't want big pieces of mushrooms in your orzo you can finely chop them up instead of roughly chopping.
Shallots: Substitute with white or yellow onion as needed.
Pesto: While homemade pesto (like my avocado pesto, which is super popular!) is delicious, we're using jarred store-bought pesto in this recipe to cut down on time.
Capers: This ingredient is super salty, so a little goes a long way. I recommend tasting the dish before adding more!
Step by step instructions
- Heat a medium pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, drizzle in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the shallots, mushrooms and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook until mushrooms are softened, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the orzo. Toast orzo for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. This gives the orzo a nutty flavor.
- Drizzle in a small amount of vegetable broth to deglaze the pot and remove any stuck-on bits of orzo. Add remaining vegetable broth.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer over medium-low and cover. Cook until orzo is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Once the orzo is cooked through (it should be al dente like pasta), remove the lid and stir in remaining ingredients: pesto, chickpeas, spinach and capers. Serve topped with freshly ground black pepper and additional capers if desired. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQ and expert tips
- Serve with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes to each serving. You can also add extra capers to taste.
- Veggies: Add in extra roasted or steam veggies like zucchini, bell peppers or eggplant when you add the pesto.
- Protein: You can mix in Italian-style veggie sausage or baked tofu for extra protein.
I haven't tested this recipe with anything other than orzo. You should be able to make it with white rice, which cooks with a 1:2 ratio. If you want to use another type of pasta I recommend cooking it separately.
Definitely! Just use an equal amount of homemade pesto.
Rinse orzo if you are using it for a salad. Do not rinse it for this recipe because the thin coating of starch on the outside is what helps this dish get super creamy.
Keep refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat with a splash of vegetable broth or heat in the microwave.
Yes! Most pestos contain cheese, so simply choose a vegan pesto or make your own.
Looking for more easy meals?
If you like this recipe you might like this pesto chickpea salad or cheesy taco pasta. These are a few of my favorites:
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Mushroom and Pesto Orzo
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon coarse salt plus more to taste
- 1 and ½ cups orzo
- 3 cups vegetable broth see note #1
- 6 ounces pesto see note #2
- 15 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 2 handfuls spinach
- 1 tablespoon capers more to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a medium pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, drizzle in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the finely chopped shallots, mushrooms and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook until mushrooms are softened, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the orzo. Toast orzo for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
- Drizzle in a small amount of vegetable broth to deglaze the pot and remove any stuck-on bits of orzo. Add remaining vegetable broth.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer over medium-low and cover with a lid. Simmer un the orzo is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Once the orzo is cooked, remove the lid and stir in remaining ingredients: pesto, chickpeas, spinach and capers. Cook uncovered on low until the spinach is wilted and the pesto is warmed. Serve topped with freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes and additional capers if desired. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Vegetable broth: I use reduced sodium broth for better control over the salt content. This is reflected in the nutrition facts. You can use water but may need to adjust the seasons.
- Pesto: Jars vary in size but anywhere around 6-7 ounces works. You can also use homemade pesto.
- Leftovers: Keep refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat with a splash of vegetable broth or heat in the microwave.
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