Rest assured that this easy orzo pasta teeming with robust flavors from the veggies and zesty lemon will soon become your favorite one pot meal. Also called as Risoni, orzo is my present favorite pasta because its texture is so amazing.
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Why you should make this?
- With just 10 mins prep, this dish comes together in less than 30 mins.
- You just need one pot to make this creamy pasta. No need to bring out that colander, y’all because we won’t be straining the orzo.
- Even though it calls for basic stuff, it is quite fancy schmancy that you can make for any special occasion.
- It is vegetarian friendly and can be made vegan as well.
- Freezer friendly max- Leftovers can settle in the freezer and become another busy day’ meal in a wink.
Jump to:
What is orzo?
To put it simply, orzo is a rice shaped pasta that resembles long grain rice varieties. Made from durum wheat semolina flour, this has a plump appearance after cooking.
Is orzo gluten free?
The similarities between rice and orzo end at their appearances. Even though orzo looks like rice, it is made from a kind of wheat flour.
So, obviously, it is not gluten free. Having said that, there are gluten-free orzo varieties available at the market, Personally, I have not used them and so, I can’t say much about it.
Are orzo and Risoni the same?
If you have ever searched for orzo, the chances are that you may have come across a bag labeled ‘Risoni.
This rice like pasta has many names, one of which is Risoni, that translates to big rice in Italian. Other name includes Puntalette.
Literally meaning barley in Italian, this pasta is so versatile. You can use them in soups, salads and stews as well. Or simply, make this delicious orzo pasta.
Ingredients
- Butter- helps keep grains separate in this recipe. Switch to olive oil for a vegan version.
- Garlic and onions – for flavor.
- Vegetables- I have used green peas, sweet corn and chopped baby spinach.
- Mint leaves – for a fresh flavor burst.
- Seasonings- A mix of Italian herbs, chili flakes and pepper make this pasta perfect.
- Orzo- While I love Barilla’s 1 lb orzo packs, Sainsbury’s is a great option too. (This is my personal recommendation and not sponsored)
- Vegetable stock – Again, adds depth and flavor to this dish.
- Lemon juice- for that tang
- Salt
- Feta cheese- for a creamy orzo. Skip this or use vegan feta for a vegan orzo pasta.
Why make Orzo in Instant Pot?
In one word, because it is like magic. Off late, I have been hooked to making one pot pasta dishes in my Instant Pot.
The process of cooking pasta in an electric pressure cooker is convenient, minimal effort and time. You simply add all the ingredients to your inner pot and let the thing work its magic.
Orzo, especially, is so forgiving. It cooks perfectly and transforms into plump tender bites. This is why you should make orzo in the Instant Pot.
Lastly, it is truly liberating because the dish washing gets cut by 1/2. In case you do not have an Instant Pot, please check the stove top instructions under ‘Method’ section.
Variations
While this version of orzo is my favorite, here are some variations that I have tried and had success with, as well.
- Instead of fresh mint, you can also fresh sweet basil or parsley.
- Switch to ricotta or shredded parmesan instead of the feta.
- Add other veggies like sliced baby Bella mushrooms or chopped carrots here. You can even stir in some roasted cherry tomatoes at the end.
- You can also add other meat protein like chicken here if you aren’t keen on a vegetarian or vegan version.
- Towards the end, for a herby flavor, stir in 2 tbsp Genovese pesto.
Shelf life, leftovers and freezing
- In the fridge-Store leftover orzo in a covered air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing- You can freeze orzo for up to 1 month. Allow the pasta to cool completely, divide into small portions, transfer to a freezer-safe bag/ box , label and freeze.
- To thaw – leave in the fridge overnight and steam in the Instant Pot for 2 mins. Alternatively, you can add 1/2 cup boiling hot water and gently reheat in a saucepan over the stovetop.
Recipe Notes
- I do not recommend cooking anything less than 1 cup of orzo in the Instant Pot. For cooking anything in the IP, you need a minimum of 1 cup fluid. Since reducing the orzo also means scaling down the liquid, it becomes a safety issue.
- If you are using broth or stock to make this pasta, please be mindful of the salt. Since we will be adding cheese as well, keep an eye while adding the salt.
- I recommend stirring in shredded parmesan or ricotta only after the orzo is cooked since the residual heat is sufficient for them to mix well into the pasta.
- For an al-dente orzo, I recommend following the same orzo and liquid ratio. Softer pasta needs 6 mins cooking time followed by immediate quick pressure release.
- The total time for this dish including the pressurizing time is 20 mins. ( 9 mins Saute mode- 5 mins for pressurising and 5 mins cooking time)
- While doing a quick pressure release, stay away from the vent because pasta usually sputters water.
- After cooking, the orzo may look watery. Do not freak out. It will absorb the liquid as it cools and settle down.
- After doing the quick pressure release, please do not switch to KEEP WARM MODE. Press CANCEL immediately to prevent the pasta from becoming dry at the bottom.
Serving Suggestions
Recently, I shared this recipe on my Instagram as a part of my Valentine’s day series. We love to make this a complete meal by pairing it with-
Instant Pot Orzo- FAQs
For this specific dish, I used 1 and 3/4 cups broth to cook 1 cup orzo. However, when I am just making orzo to toss into other dishes, I use 1.5 cups water for 1 cup orzo.
In most cases, BURN signal pops up when the food gets stuck to the bottom of the Instant Pot. This happens because there is not enough liquid. Adding correct quantity of liquid is crucial to preventing BURN signal.
Do a quick pressure release, open the lid, add 1/2 cup more water or broth. Stir to deglaze the pot. Put the lid back on and continue cooking the dish.
More Pasta Recipes
Method
Prep work
Gather all your ingredients. Chop the veggies and measure your orzo and broth. Set aside.
Making orzo
Insert the inner pot into the instant pot. Plug in the Instant Pot and press SAUTE -NORMAL mode. Set the timer to 9 mins.
Add the butter to the inner pot and when it melts, tip in the chopped garlic. Saute the garlic till it begins to turn brown.
Now, add the chopped onions, stir and saute them until soft.
When done, add the fresh green peas, sweet corn kernels and chopped spinach. Stir to combine and cook till the spinach begins to wilt. .
Now, add the fresh mint leaves along with the seasonings except salt. Mix well.
Add in the orzo followed by the broth. Stir gently once or twice.
Now, pour in the lemon juice and add salt if needed.
Finally, add the crumbled feta. Press CANCEL. Ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly into the Instant Pot lid. Close the Instant pot and turn the VALVE to SEALING.
Press PRESSURE COOK-HIGH PRESSURE and set the timer to 5 mins. Wait for the cooking cycle to complete fully.
As soon as the cooking cycle is complete, PRESS CANCEL. We do not want the Instant Pot to switch to KEEP WARM mode here.
Now, do a quick pressure release carefully by turning the VALVE to VENTING. When done, open the lid and gently mix to combine.
Serve hot with your favorite sides.
Stove top Lemony Orzo
- Heat a heavy bottomed pan like a Dutch oven with butter.
- When the butter melts, add the garlic and allow it to become golden.
- Now, add the onions and saute till its soft.
- Tip in the vegetables and seasonings.
- Add the broth next and allow it to come to a boil.
- Now, add the orzo along with feta, mint and lemon juice.
- Stir and cook covered on medium heat till the orzo is cooked through, absorbing all the liquid. This takes anywhere between 7 to 9 mins.
Creamy Lemon Orzo Pasta
Equipment
- 1 six quart Instant Pot
- 1 set measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 20 grams butter
- 1.5 tbsp chopped garlic
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- ¾ cup green peas (I have used frozen fresh green peas)
- 3/4 cup sweet corn (Both fresh and frozen corn work well)
- 1 cup finely chopped spinach
- ½ tsp Italian herbs
- 1/2 tsp crushed black pepper
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
- 10 to 12 mint leaves
- 1 cup orzo
- 1.75 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1.75 oz feta (50 grams)
Instructions
Prep work
- Gather all your ingredients. Chop the veggies and measure your orzo and broth. Set aside.
Making orzo
- Insert the inner pot into the instant pot. Plug in the Instant Pot and press SAUTE -NORMAL mode. Set the timer to 9 mins.
- Add the butter to the inner pot and when it melts, tip in the chopped garlic. Saute the garlic till it begins to turn brown.
- Now, add the chopped onions, stir and saute them until soft. When done, add the fresh green peas, sweet corn kernels and chopped spinach.
- Stir to combine and cook till the spinach begins to wilt. Now, add the fresh mint leaves along with the seasonings except salt. Mix well.
- Add in the orzo followed by the broth. Stir gently once or twice.
- Now, pour in the lemon juice and add the crumbled feta. Press CANCEL.
- Ensure that the sealing ring has been fitted properly into the Instant Pot lid. Close the Instant pot and turn the VALVE to SEALING.
- Press PRESSURE COOK-HIGH PRESSURE and set the timer to 5 mins. Wait for the cooking cycle to complete fully.
- As soon as the cooking cycle is complete, PRESS CANCEL. We do not want the Instant Pot to switch to KEEP WARM mode here.
- Now, do a quick pressure release carefully by turning the VALVE to VENTING. When done, open the lid and gently mix to combine.
- Serve hot with your favorite sides.
Stove top Lemony Orzo
- Heat a heavy bottomed pan like a Dutch oven with butter.
- When the butter melts, add the garlic and allow it to become golden.
- Now, add the onions and saute till its soft.
- Tip in the vegetables and seasonings.
- Add the broth next and allow it to come to a boil.
- Now, add the orzo along with feta, mint and lemon juice.
- Stir and cook covered on medium heat till the orzo is cooked through, absorbing all the liquid. This takes anywhere between 7 to 9 mins.
Notes
- I do not recommend cooking anything less than 1 cup of orzo in the Instant Pot. For cooking anything in the IP, you need a minimum of 1 cup fluid. Since reducing the orzo also means scaling down the liquid, it becomes a safety issue.
- If you are using broth or stock to make this pasta, please be mindful of the salt. Since we will be adding cheese as well, keep an eye while adding the salt.
- I recommend stirring in shredded parmesan or ricotta only after the orzo is cooked since the residual heat is sufficient for them to mix well into the pasta.
- This orzo and liquid ratio is perfect for al-dente pasta. Softer pasta needs 6 mins cooking time followed by immediate quick pressure release.
- The total time for this dish including the pressurizing time is 20 mins. ( 9 mins Saute mode- 5 mins for pressurising and 5 mins cooking time)
- While doing a quick pressure release, stay away from the vent because pasta usually sputters water.
- After cooking, the orzo may look watery. Do not freak out. It will absorb the liquid as it cools and settle down.
- After doing the quick pressure release, please do not switch to KEEP WARM MODE. Press CANCEL immediately to prevent the pasta from becoming dry at the bottom.
For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes
Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.
Nutrition
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Here in the US I get gluten free orzo from Delallo imported Italian and it is great