One Pot Lemon Tahini Orzo

Ingredients

• Orzo: This is a small pasta shape that looks a lot like a giant piece of rice. It cooks relatively quickly.
• Tahini can be found in the sauce or International aisle at most grocery stores.
• Lemon: One small/medium lemon typically yields 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. I recommend fresh lemon over bottles of lemon juice, especially because lemon zest adds a dense concentration of lemon flavor to this recipe.
• Shallots and garlic create a flavorful base. Saute in a bit of unsalted butter for extra richness. If shallots aren't available, you can use ½ cup of diced sweet onion instead. If you only have salted butter, just adjust the kosher salt to taste.
• Vegetable bouillon: I swear by Better than Bouillon. It's more flavorful and more cost-effective than most boxed vegetable broths, and it's easy to use. Only have vegetable broth? Use an equal amount in place of the water and omit the bouillon.
• Broccoli: Choose one large broccoli crown or two small crowns. I did not test this recipe with frozen broccoli, but I would suggest cooking it separately and adding it after cooking the orzo to avoid overcooked broccoli.

Step by step instructions

Equipment: One-pot pasta recipes work best with tall-walled skillets. I use my 8-inch Caraway skillet or a tall-sided skillet (similar to a braising pan). If you don't have a medium skillet with a lid, you can use a medium pot.

Start by heating a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Once melted, add the diced shallot. Cook until golden, stirring occasionally, just 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in the garlic. Continue cooking until golden and aromatic, about 2 minutes.

Add the vegetable bouillon to the pan. Stir in the water. This will dissolve the bouillon and create the vegetable broth.

Bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat, then stir in the salt and orzo. Add the broccoli florets and cover with a lid.

Simmer until the orzo is completely cooked through, just about 10 minutes. Stir every few minutes to keep the orzo from sticking to the pan. Frequent stirring helps the orzo to cook evenly.

When the orzo is al dente, remove the lid. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, lemon zest, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Add freshly grated Parmesan to taste.