Rich and creamy pumpkin orzo is made in one pot in under 30 minutes! This is a perfect vegetarian meal starter or side dish for fall dinner parties.
I'm all about sharing fall-inspired meals, and as someone who cooks a lot of orzo, developing a recipe for pumpkin orzo is only natural.
This pumpkin orzo is rich, savory, creamy, and hearty. If you like my baked pumpkin pasta, you're going to love this dish because it comes together in one pot on the stovetop in under 30 minutes.
I like to pair pumpkin orzo with maple tofu to make it a well-rounded meal. Add in a side of roasted broccolini or lemon garlic green beans and you have yourself a nourishing and comforting vegetarian dinner.
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Recipe details
- One pot recipe: The orzo cooks in one pot with the pumpkin puree and seasonings. As the orzo cooks it absorbs the cooking liquid, similar to the method used to cook my mushroom kale risotto.
- Flavors: The pumpkin sauce leans quite tomato-y in flavor, but it's also dappled with sage and thyme and a hint of balsamic.
- Canned pumpkin: I'm all about practical meals, so we're sticking to canned pumpkin here. Use leftover pumpkin in pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, baked pumpkin oatmeal, or freeze for later.
- Dinner party ready: This is the perfect dish for fall dinner parties because it's rich, autumnal, and very easy to make.
Ingredients
- Orzo: This is a small pasta shape that looks like a large grain of rice. If needed, orzo can usually be replaced with an equal amount of a small pasta shape.
- Pumpkin puree: Any variety of canned pumpkin works.
- Tomato paste: This adds a lot of flavor and depth to the sauce. I freeze leftover tomato paste in a plastic bag and slice off paste as I need it.
- Herbs: Sage and thyme are key fall herbs. I use dry because it's most practical, but if you have fresh herbs you won't regret using them. I typically use 3x the amount of fresh herb, so ½ teaspoon dry herb would be replaced with 1 ½ teaspoons fresh chopped herb.
- Half & half: This is optional, but it makes the sauce extra creamy. Heavy cream also works here.
- Parmesan: Traditional Parmesan isn't vegetarian because it contains animal rennet. If this matters to you, choose Parmesan labeled as from vegetarian sources, or use an equal amount of vegan Parmesan or vegetarian asiago cheese.
- Sweet yellow onion: My go-to variety of onion. Standard white or yellow also work, as does shallot.
- Vegetable broth: I use Better than Bouillon base and add it directly to the pot. The instructions call for 1 teaspoon per 8 ounces of water, but I typically add a little less than called for.
- Balsamic vinegar: Just a splash adds a lot of depth to the dish. I find that balsamic pairs really well with squash, so I also do this with my butternut squash orzo recipe.
Step-by-step instructions
- Start by heating a large tall-wall skillet or wide-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the butter. Once melted, add the onion. Saute until golden.
- Stir in the tomato paste and ginger, sauteing until the ginger is golden. Stir in the herbs and orzo and toast for about a minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the vegetable broth (or water and vegetable bouillon) and pumpkin puree. Stir well. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high to high heat. Once simmering, reduce to a gentle simmer over medium-low to low heat.
- Cover with a lid and cook for 10-12 minutes, removing the lid every 3-4 minutes to stir the orzo. When the orzo is cooked through, remove the lid and stir in balsamic vinegar, then the half and half. Add optional Parmesan cheese. Taste for seasonings and enjoy!
Cassidy's tips
- To make vegan: Use your favorite vegan Parmesan and replace half & half with a dairy-free equivalent, or add a splash of oat milk.
- Make it a complete meal by serving with tofu steak or your favorite protein. I often just stir a can of chickpeas and a few handfuls of spinach into orzo dishes for an easy source of protein and fiber.
- You can definitely get away with adding more than ½ cup of pumpkin puree if you enjoy the flavor of it. If I'm being completely honest, I love the texture that pumpkin puree adds to dishes but I don't love the flavor. I've found that ½ cup is just the right amount to get the texture benefits (and nutritional benefits) without having an overpowering pumpkin flavor.
Storage notes
- Best within 3-4 days. Let cool before refrigerating a closed container.
- The orzo and pumpkin sauce will thicken up as they chill. They should loosen up upon reheating, but if not, simply add a splash of half and half to thin the sauce.
- Pumpkin orzo reheats well in the microwave. Multiple servings reheat more effectively on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add extra vegetable broth or a splash of milk to loosen the sauce up and stir frequently.
More ways to cook orzo
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Pumpkin Orzo (One Pot)
Rich and creamy pumpkin orzo is made in one pot with mostly pantry staples. This dish is great as a meal starter or served at dinner parties.
Ingredients
- ½ inch ginger
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ medium sweet yellow onion diced
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon dry sage
- ½ teaspoon dry thyme
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups orzo ~12 ounces of orzo
- 3 cups vegetable broth see note #1
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup to ½ cup half & half or cream
- freshly grated Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Use a microplane or the smallest sides of a box grater to grate the ginger. If you don't have a microplane or box grater, the ginger can be minced instead. Measure out 1 teaspoon of ginger and set aside.
- Heat a large tall-wall skillet or wide-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the butter. Once melted, add the onion. Saute until golden.
- Stir in the tomato paste and ginger, sauteing until the ginger is golden. Stir in the sage, thyme, salt, pepper, and orzo and toast for about a minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the vegetable broth (or water and vegetable bouillon) and pumpkin puree. Stir well. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high to high heat. Once simmering, reduce to a gentle simmer over medium-low to low heat.
- Cover with a lid and cook for 10-12 minutes, removing the lid every 3-4 minutes to stir the orzo.
- When the orzo is cooked through, remove the lid and stir in balsamic vinegar, then ¼ cup of half and half. Add Parmesan cheese and additional half and half, if desired. Taste for seasonings and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Broth: Works with any type of broth. I like to use Better than Bouillon vegetable base and water. I add the base directly to the pot.
- Dairy-free option: Use your favorite vegan Parmesan and replace half & half with a dairy-free equivalent, or add a splash of unsweetened oat milk.
- Storage and reheating: Best within 3-4 days. Let cool before refrigerating a closed container.The orzo and pumpkin sauce will thicken up as they chill. They should loosen up upon reheating, but if not, simply add a splash of half and half or water to thin the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 335kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 10gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 294mgPotassium: 436mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 5255IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 55mgIron: 2mg
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