Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Orzo

This rich, creamy, and gently spicy roasted pepper orzo is made in one skillet in just 30-minutes. It uses pantry staples and boasts 17 grams of protein per serving.

This red pepper orzo is so flavorful that it's hard to believe most of the ingredients come from cans. In fact, onion and garlic are the only "fresh" ingredients.

The roasted red pepper sauce is made with jarred roasted red peppers, spicy Calabrian chilis, coconut cream, and white beans. I learned the trick to blend beans into sauces and soups from my butternut squash soup recipe. It gives extra body and thickness to the sauce, and also adds a bunch of plant-based protein!

The best part? This is a one pot pasta recipe! I absolutely adore my one pot cherry tomato orzo, but this is a great alternative for when tomatoes aren't in season.

Ingredients

• Roasted red peppers: Since this recipe is all about ease, we use jarred peppers instead of making homemade roasted red peppers.
• Petite diced tomatoes: Tomatoes amplify the flavor of the sauce and balance out the bell peppers by adding a touch of sweetness.
• Coconut cream: Just a few tablespoons adds richness and a very subtle coconut flavor. An equal amount of heavy cream also works, but I recommend adding it at the end instead of the beginning of cooking.
• Calabrian chilis: These Italian chilis are smoky and a touch spicy, with a similar level of heat as jalapeno.
• Great northern beans: Trust me, this is a great way to add depth, creaminess, and body to the red pepper sauce. Cannellini or navy beans work here as well.
• Onion and garlic: I recommend fresh for both, but if you're feeling really low-prep use 1 teaspoon of onion and garlic powder in place of fresh.

Top tips

• Add a drizzle of coconut cream and oil from the jar of Calabrian chilis to the finished dish. The chili oil is also a fantastic dipping sauce for crusty bread.
• Any small variety of pasta works in place of orzo. Even long-grain rice works as a direct swap, but it does require an additional 5-10 minutes of cooking.
• I buy Calabrian chilis at the international farmers market in my city. They can also be purchased online and I've heard they are available at Trader Joe's.
• Keep the orzo covered while it cooks, but make sure to stir every few minutes because the pieces of orzo tend to stick to each other.
• I use a large non-stick skillet for this recipe, but a medium sauce pot also works. One pot orzo is very forgiving.
• If you want to use this recipe as just a red pepper sauce and not for one pot pasta, simply omit the 2 cups of water.
• The beans can be omitted if desired. It will make the sauce a little less thick, but adding additional coconut cream or heavy cream can balance that out.

More favorite orzo dishes

Recipe

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Spicy Red Pepper Orzo

Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD

This is a one-skillet meal featuring a rich and creamy sauce made with roasted red peppers, canned tomatoes, and spicy Calabrian chilis.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 16 ounce jar roasted red peppers drained
• ▢ 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
• ▢ 15 ounce can great northern beans drained and rinsed
• ▢ 2 tablespoons coconut cream or heavy cream; see note #1
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt divided
• ▢ 4-8 ounce jar Calabrian chilis see note #2
• ▢ olive oil as needed
• ▢ ½ medium sweet yellow onion diced
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced; adjust to taste
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) orzo
• ▢ 2 cups water
• ▢ ¼ cup freshly sliced basil leaves

Instructions

 

• To a blender or food processor add the drained roasted red peppers, diced tomatoes with juices, drained beans, coconut cream, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add 1 teaspoon of the oil from the jar of Calabrian chilis.
• Blend until smooth. Taste for spice (chili oil) and salt. Set aside.
• Heat a large skillet or medium sauce pot over medium heat. Drizzle with olive oil or Calabrian chili oil, depending on spice preference. Once hot, add the diced onion and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Saute until starting to turn golden, just 4-6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mince a few chilis and measure out 1-2 tablespoons of minced chili. Note that they are decently spicy, so I recommend tasting the chili oil to determine how much chili to add.
• Add the chilis, garlic, and tomato paste to the onion. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, until the garlic is golden.
• Stir in the orzo. Toast for just 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in the red pepper sauce and 2 cups of water.
• Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce to a low simmer then cover with a lid. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes or so to promote even cooking.
• Remove the lid when the orzo is mostly done. Let simmer for another 2-3 minutes to thicken up the sauce. Taste for spice and salt.
• Garnish with a drizzle of coconut cream, chili oil, and freshly chopped basil just before serving.

Video

Notes

1. Coconut cream adds the slightest coconut flavor, so I recommend omitting this if you don't like coconut. An equal amount of heavy cream can be used in place of coconut cream. If using heavy cream, I recommend adding it after the orzo is fully cooked.
2. Chilis: This recipe only uses a small amount of a jar of Calabrian chilis. Try adding leftover chili oil and chilis to other types of pasta sauce or stir fries, or use as the base for dipping sauces. A little bit goes a long way!
3. If using a bullet blender instead of a standard blender or food processor, the ingredients will need to be blended in two batches.
4. Keeps well for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove top over medium heat, stirring occasionaly, until warmed through. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 402kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 17gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.3gSodium: 709mgPotassium: 1038mgFiber: 11gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 942IUVitamin C: 68mgCalcium: 160mgIron: 5mg

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