One Pot Orzo with Cherry Tomatoes

This simple but flavorful summer meal features a cherry tomato sauce and orzo all cooked together in one pot. It takes just under 30 minutes to make using less than 10 ingredients!

I am a huge fan of one pot pasta recipes because they are convenient and make the silkiest sauce, thanks to the starches that pasta releases as it cooks.

This one pot orzo is like a cross between my pesto orzo and gnocchi with roasted tomatoes recipes. Instead of pesto, we are using cherry tomatoes, garlic, and shallots that cook in the pot at the same time as the orzo.

This is a super simple recipe that's big on flavor, despite taking under 30 minutes to make.

Recipe features

• Quick & easy: This one pot orzo takes just about 30 minutes to make and uses less than 10 ingredients.
• Made in one pot: The orzo cooks in the simmering sauce, so this recipe only requires one pot plus a cutting board.
• Great for weeknight meals: Simply add your favorite protein like chickpeas or veggie sausage to make a balanced vegetarian meal.
• Flavor-packed: Simply sauteing shallot and garlic in butter creates the most fragrant and flavorful base for the orzo. The cherry tomatoes add a punch of acidity and texture similar to roasted cherry tomato sauce.

Ingredients

• Orzo: Orzo is technically pasta, but it looks like a cross between rice and pasta. Find it in the pasta aisle.
• Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes. I use one pint of tomatoes and add tomato paste to enhance the tomato flavor.
• Vegetable bouillon is one of my favorite kitchen ingredients. It's a less expensive and more flavorful alternative to vegetable broth, so it's worth keeping on hand. If you don't have bouillon, you can use vegetable broth in place of water.
• Garlic and shallots are sauteed in butter, making the flavorful base of the cherry tomato sauce. Feel free to use olive oil or vegan butter to make this recipe dairy-free.

How to make

I recommend using a large skillet with tall sides and a lid or a Dutch oven to make this recipe.

Start by heating the pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the butter. To the melted butter add the diced shallot and cherry tomatoes.

Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the shallot is softened and turning golden.

Add garlic, tomato paste, and vegetable bouillon. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, until the garlic is aromatic.

Pour in the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. I recommend smashing the cherry tomatoes with a potato masher so that their juices are released. It's also an easy way to prevent hot tomatoes from popping in your mouth when you take a bite of the orzo!

Stir in the orzo. Reduce heat to a low simmer over medium-low heat. Once simmering, cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes. Stir every 3-4 minutes to keep the orzo from sticking to the pan.

When the orzo is mostly cooked, remove the lid from the pot. This will allow excess liquid to steam off and the sauce to thicken. Continue simmering until the orzo is completely cooked, just about 2-3 minutes.

Recipe tips

• I have a lot of tips about making one-pot pastas over on my one-pot pasta page. The most important tip is to bring the liquid to a boil before adding the orzo. This keeps the orzo from overcooking.
• Sauce thickness: The sauce should be thick but not soupy. If there is still too much liquid but the orzo is cooked through, just continue simmering over the lowest heat while the pot is uncovered. This will evaporate some of the liquid. The sauce does thicken a lot when cooled.
• Protein: This dish is so good with pan-fried or baked halloumi! I have also served it with chickpeas and plant-based sausage for a serving of protein.
• Stir the pasta: Orzo tends to stick to the bottom of the pot more than most pasta shapes. To keep this from happening, make sure to stir the orzo every few minutes while it is simmering.
• Serving size: This recipe makes 3-4 servings, depending on your appetite and whether you are serving anything else with it. The recipe can be doubled or tripled, just double or triple all ingredients and keep cook time the same.

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📖 Recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 13 votes

One Pot Orzo with Cherry Tomatoes

No draining is required with this recipe because the orzo and cherry tomatoes cook together in one pot. This recipe uses simple ingredients but is full of flavor.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Servings: 3 servings

Author: Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• ▢ 2 small shallots roughly chopped
• ▢ 3-4 cloves garlic minced; adjust to taste
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vegetable bouillon see note #1
• ▢ 2 cups water
• ▢ 1 cup orzo
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh chopped basil
• ▢ parmesan to garnish; optional

Instructions

• Start by heating a tall-sided skillet or medium pot over medium-high heat.
• Once hot, add the butter. To the melted butter add the cherry tomatoes and chopped shallot. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the shallot is softened and turning golden.
• Add garlic, tomato paste, and vegetable bouillon. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, until the garlic is aromatic.
• Use a potato masher or spatula to burst/smash the cherry tomatoes.
• Pour in the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, stir in the orzo and salt.
• Reduce heat to a low simmer over medium-low heat. Once simmering, cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes. Stir every 3-4 minutes to keep the orzo from sticking to the pan.
• When the orzo is mostly cooked, remove the lid from the pot. Continue simmering until the orzo is completely cooked and the sauce is thickened, just about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the chopped basil. Taste for salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

1. Bouillon: An equal amount of vegetable broth can be used in place of water. Just omit the bouillon.
2. To make this a main dish, add your favorite protein like chickpeas, veggie sausage, or a side of halloumi. 
3. Makes 3-4 servings, depending on appetite. I like to serve it with a side of garlic toast and a small salad.
4. Leftovers are best within 3-4 days. Keep refrigerated in a closed container. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove over medium heat, adding a splash of vegetable broth as needed to loosen the sauce.

For a step-by-step video, check out the YouTube video for this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 307kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 9gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 317mgPotassium: 639mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1277IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 54mgIron: 2mg