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Give us 20 minutes, one pot and dinner is officially taken care of. This one-pot cherry tomato orzo pasta is the kind of recipe that makes weeknights feel more special without asking you to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. It’s savory, herby and packed with fresh tomato flavor.
A herby, savory tomato sauce is made by sautéing shallots, garlic, tomato paste, cherry tomatoes and fresh oregano and thyme until they are fragrant and caramelized. The orzo pasta is added straight to the pot with vegetable broth and splash of heavy cream. The cream balances out the acidity of the tomatoes and gives the sauce a creamy flavor and feel. Before serving, freshly grated parmesan is swirled into the pasta for a nutty, cheesy finish. The end result is a comforting creamy tomato orzo packed with flavor in every bite. You’ll want to come back for seconds!
This dish will easily become a favorite weeknight dinner you’ll want to keep on rotation. Serve it vegetarian-style without any protein or top with some grilled chicken, meatballs or seared shrimp. However you choose to serve, it it will be a hit.
Why You’ll Love This One-Pot Cherry Tomato Orzo
- It’s quick and easy! This dinner just takes about a half hour to cook and just uses basic ingredients. It’s a great as an option for busy weeknight meals.
- One-pot meal! One-pot meals are some of the best! it means less clean up and easy assembly – win, win.
- Super cozy flavor. At the end of the day, sometimes you just want something comforting and warm. And this dish delivers exactly that. The flavorful herbs and creamy tomato sauce with rice-sized pasta swirled throughout makes this a super cozy dish for any weeknight.
Ingredient You’ll Need
- Orzo pasta
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic
- Shallots
- Tomato paste
- Fresh oregano
- Fresh thyme
- Cherry tomatoes
- Heavy cream
- Vegetable broth
- Grated parmesan
- Fresh basil
- Salt and pepper to season
How to make This Cherry Tomato Orzo, Step by Step
Step 1. Make cherry tomato sauce.
The tomato sauce starts with minced garlic and shallot. The shallot adds a delicate onion flavor to the sauce without being overpowering.
The sauce starts with sautéing garlic and shallot with some olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the mixture until they are fragrant and soft. If you notice the shallot and garlic burning, reduce the heat a bit.
Next stir in the tomato paste, cherry tomatoes and fresh oregano and thyme. Site this mixture for several minutes until the tomatoes get soft and start to burst. Use the back of a spatula or wooden spoon to gently press out the juice of the cherry tomatoes.
Step 2. Stir orzo into the tomato mixture and toast for 5 minutes.
Stir in dry orzo pasta to toast the pasta in the tomato mixture before adding in the liquids. Let the pasta simmer in the tomato mixture for about five minutes. This will give the pasta time to soak up some of the tomato flavor.
Step 3. Add in heavy cream and vegetable broth. Simmer before stirring in parmesan cheese.
Lastly pour in the liquids – heavy cream and vegetable broth. Give the pasta a good stir and scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any pasta that sticks to the bottom of the pan.
Cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
Remove the orzo from the heat and stir in grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil. The pasta is best if served warm.
Tips for Making Cherry Tomato Orzo
- Cook garlic and shallot slowly. This will help pull a lot of the flavor out of the garlic and orzo to make a flavorful base for the dish. Cooking them low and slow will allow them to become soft and fragrant without burning.
- Toast the orzo before adding the broth. This will give the dry orzo time to soak up the tomato flavor. And slightly toasting the pasta gives the dish a nuttier finish.
- Scrape the bottom of the pan for sticky orzo. Once you add the broth and cream, make sure to use your spoon to loosen any of the orzo that sticks to the bottom of the pan.
Recipe FAQ
Storing One Pot Cherry Tomato Orzo
Store leftover tomato orzo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The orzo will thicken, so add a splash of broth or cream when you reheat in the microwave to loosen the sauce.
More easy weeknight recipes:
One-Pot Cherry Tomato Orzo
Description
This one-pot cherry tomato orzo combines juicy tomatoes, garlic, fresh herbs, Parmesan, and a touch of cream for a cozy, flavorful meal that comes together in about 20 minutes—with only one pot to clean.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups orzo
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp fresh oregano
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 1/3 cup chopped basil
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium-low heat, sauté minced garlic and shallot in olive oil in skillet until soft. Lower the temperature if you notice the shallot or garlic are burning or cooking too quickly.
- Once soft and fragrant, stir in tomato paste, cherry tomatoes and herbs. As the tomatoes heat up, they will start to split and burst, gently press on them as they get soft to press out the juices.
- Pour in dry orzo and stir around to toast the pasta in the tomato mixture for about 4-5 minutes.
- Pour vegetable broth and heavy cream into the broth. Stir to mix and make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any orzo that has stuck to the bottom. Cover the pot to simmer for 10 minutes until al dente.
- Stir in parmesan cheese and basil. Serve warm on it’s own or with your favorite protein for a complete meal.
