Tomato Orzo
Roasted Tomato Orzo is the easy one-pot side dish that you’ve been waiting for! It’s creamy, cheesy and the perfect summer side dish recipe.
Tomato orzo makes a great side dish or a great main dish topped with grilled chicken or alongside a tender grilled tri-tip. However you serve it, it’s the perfect way to celebrate summer tomatoes!
Table of Contents
Roasted Tomato Orzo
I am officially obsessed with this recipe! I love recipes that use summer tomatoes (hello panzanella and tomato risotto), and this recipe is no different!
Beautiful, fresh summer tomatoes are roasted with garlic, olive oil, and fresh basil until softened, then stirred into a creamy orzo with lots of parmesan.
Tomato orzo is perfect for a quick weeknight meal or as a side dish to just about any dish! The flavors are so bold and bright and go with just about anything.
If you’re looking for a delicious and fresh way to use up your summer tomatoes, this is it!
For more easy side dish recipes, check out the side dish section of my recipe index.
What is Orzo?
Orzo is one of my favorite ingredients! Orzo, also known as risoni, is a form of short-cut pasta, shaped like a large grain of rice.
It’s common in mediterranean cooking and you can find it in soups, as part of a salad, in rice pilaf, or even cooked like risotto.
It’s such a versatile pasta and makes a great side dish!
How to Make Tomato Orzo
A wide, shallow skillet or braiser with a lid is best for making tomato orzo. It allows the pasta to cook quickly and evenly.
Tools Needed
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tomatoes. I used cherry tomatoes here, but you can use any ripe and delicious summer tomato. If you’re using larger tomatoes, just make sure to chop them up.
- Orzo. Any brand of orzo will work and you can find it in the pasta section of your grocery store.
- Garlic. The garlic gets roasted with the tomatoes and turns sweet and delicious.
- Basil leaves. Fresh basil adds tons of flavor, but you could also use dried.
- Shallot. I like the delicate onion flavor that shallot gives, but you could use any finely minced onion.
- Tomato paste. Tomato paste helps bolster the rich tomato flavor.
- Broth. You can use chicken or vegetable broth. Whichever kind you use, homemade is always best!
- Heavy cream. A little heavy cream at the end makes the orzo extra delicious. You could swap it to keep this recipe vegan.
- Parmesan. Freshly grated parmesan is always best. You could also skip the cheese to keep this recipe vegan.
The Process
- Roast the tomatoes. Toss the tomatoes with olive oil, sliced garlic, fresh basil, salt and pepper in a small baking dish. Roast for 40-45 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and jammy.
- Toast the orzo. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet or braiser over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and cook until translucent. Add the orzo to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes until the orzo is coated in the oil and lightly golden brown.
- Cook the tomato paste. Add the tomato paste to the pan and toss to coat the orzo in it. Cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste has darkened in color–about 2 minutes. Add the broth to the skillet, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Add the roasted tomatoes, garlic, and basil and stir well.
- Simmer. Cover the skillet reduce the heat to low and cook for 12 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes to prevent sticking. Uncover the orzo and stir in the butter and heavy cream. Continue to simmer until the orzo is cooked through.
- Finish. Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese and more minced basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve the roasted tomato orzo warm.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
If you find that you have leftover roasted tomato orzo, it stores and reheats really well! I love this as an easy side dish for meal prep.
To store: Let the tomato orzo cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to one week.
To reheat: Only reheat as much as you’ll need at a time. You can reheat the tomato orzo by microwaving in increments until the orzo is warmed through.
I don’t recommend freezing roasted tomato orzo as the pasta can get mushy.
What to Serve with Roasted Tomato Orzo
This roasted tomato orzo can easily be a main dish, but I love serving it as a side dish alongside my favorite proteins and main dishes.
Here are my favorite recipes to serve with tomato orzo:
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Herb Roasted Chicken
- Grilled Tri-Tip
- Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
- Roast Chicken Piccata
- Lemon Herb Chicken
Roasted tomato orzo is an easy one-pan side or main dish that celebrates the best of summer tomatoes. This is the perfect recipe for entertaining or meal prep! If you do give them a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Summer Side Dish Recipes to Try
Skillet Cornbread
Italian Grinder Pasta Salad
Mom’s Classic Potato Salad Recipe
Dressed Up Baked Beans
Japanese-Style Grilled Corn
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One-Pan Tomato Orzo
Ingredients
Roasted Tomatoes
- 12 oz cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- handful of basil leaves, roughly chopped
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
Tomato Orzo
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 1 1/4 cup dried orzo
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups homemade chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 375 F.
- Roast the tomatoes. Toss the tomatoes with olive oil, sliced garlic, fresh basil, salt and pepper in a small baking dish. Roast for 40-45 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and jammy.
- Toast the orzo. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet or braiser over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and cook until translucent. Add the orzo to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes until the orzo is coated in the oil and lightly golden brown.
- Cook the tomato paste. Add the tomato paste to the pan and toss to coat the orzo in it. Cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste has darkened in color–about 2 minutes. Add the broth to the skillet, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and basil from the dish of roasted tomatoes and stir well. (Save the roasting liquid for a vinaigrette or for drizzling over the finished orzo!)
- Simmer. Cover the skillet reduce the heat to low and cook for 12 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes to prevent sticking. Uncover the orzo and stir in the butter and heavy cream. Continue to simmer until the orzo is cooked through.
- Finish. Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese and more minced basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve the roasted tomato orzo warm.
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