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A quick and easy one-pot creamy orzo dish with browned mushrooms, Parmesan, and cream, ready in about 35 minutes, perfect as a vegetarian main or side dish.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • Salt, to taste
  • Olive oil, as needed
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme
  • 2 tbsp butter, divided
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 lb mushrooms (cremini or button), sliced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (e.g. Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio)
  • 2 cups orzo pasta
  • 3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth (can substitute vegetable broth for vegetarian)
  • 1 cup heavy cream, room temperature
  • Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced

Instructions

  1. Slice mushrooms, dice onion, and mince garlic.
  2. Heat a large pot over medium heat and drizzle in olive oil.
  3. Add half of the sliced mushrooms and brown on one side without moving them.
  4. Flip mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, cook until both sides are richly browned, then transfer to a bowl.
  5. Repeat browning with remaining mushrooms, adding more oil if needed, avoiding overcrowding.
  6. Remove mushrooms and melt 1 tablespoon butter in the pot.
  7. Add diced onion and cook until softened and just starting to brown.
  8. Add minced garlic and cook about 1 minute until fragrant.
  9. Pour in white wine and simmer gently about 5 minutes, reducing until almost all liquid evaporates while scraping browned bits.
  10. Add orzo and browned mushrooms back to the pot.
  11. Add chicken broth gradually in batches, stirring frequently so the orzo absorbs the liquid.
  12. Add room-temperature heavy cream off the heat or over very low heat to prevent curdling.
  13. Stir in parsley, thyme, and season with salt and pepper.
  14. Bring mixture to gentle simmer, lower heat, and stir frequently while orzo cooks and sauce thickens until orzo is tender and creamy.
  15. Remove pot from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon butter and grated Parmesan until melted into a smooth sauce.
  16. If sauce is too thick, loosen with a splash of broth to desired consistency.

Notes

Use cremini mushrooms for best flavor or swap with button, shiitake, oyster, or portobello mushrooms sliced thin., Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel; avoid rinsing under water to prevent sogginess., Add broth gradually to prevent gummy or soupy orzo and to create a risotto-like sauce., Avoid overcrowding mushrooms to allow proper browning rather than steaming., Add room-temperature cream off the heat or over low heat to prevent curdling., Leftovers store in airtight container in fridge for 3-4 days., Reheat leftovers gently on stovetop with added cream or broth to restore sauce creaminess or microwave stirring halfway through., Variations include using small pasta shapes like tiny shells or acini de pepe, swapping mushrooms with diced zucchini or asparagus, using half-and-half or whole milk with cream cheese instead of heavy cream, substituting white wine with extra broth plus lemon juice, and using Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, or nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan., To make vegetarian, swap chicken broth for vegetable broth.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingcrumbs.com/tasty-orzo-with-mushrooms/