Orzo Garden Pilaf

Orzo is a pasta that looks like rice grains. I found this recipe of Ellie Krieger, where she made a pilaf using orzo. Instead of cooking the pasta the usual pasta way, she cooks it the way you usually cook the rice for pilaf.


It's called a garden pilaf maybe because it has all the lovely vegetables, which are easily available. I served it with some fried chicken. Unfortunately, I didn't have low-sodium chicken broth, so used a regular chicken stock dissolved in hot water.

Recipe : Orzo Garden Pilaf  recipe slightly adapted version of Ellie Krieger's Orzo Garden Salad recipe.

2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups hot water
1 chicken stock cube
1 small zucchini, chopped into small cubes
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup orzo pasta.
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp  lemon juice
salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a saucepan add the onions and then cook till softened. Add orzo and stir to coat the grains in the oil. Add hot stock ( that is dissolve the stock cube in hot water ) and a pinch of salt.

Bring to a quick boil, then simmer gently, till the orzo is cooked through, and half the water evaporates.

Add the zucchini and tomatoes, cover and cook over low heat for about 3 minutes or so.  Make sure you keep an eye on it as it might catch on the bottom once the water evaporates.

Remove the lid and stir in lemon juice. Have a little taste and  season for your taste,

Serve warm.

Linking this over to IHCC's theme for this week " Sentsational Sides".