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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Cheesy Vegetable Orzo

    January 16, 2020 • Updated: July 2, 2021 • by Renée B. • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    Creamy Vegetable Orzo - Pin

    Cheesy Vegetable Orzo is a quick, easy, economical side dish that will convert even your worst vegetable-haters into zucchini-eaters.

    Orzo Side dish

    I love this orzo recipe! It's fast and easy to make, extremely economical, and it goes with practically anything.

    Cheezy Vegetable Orzo | The Good Hearted Woman

    Cheesy Vegetable Orzo isn't a fancy recipe, or one that will impress your friends with its exotic flavor profile. No, this simple orzo side dish is more along the lines of …"I just got home from work and I'm tired and I need a quick and easy side dish to go with this leftover chicken. Preferably something I can make from pantry and fridge staples, because I'm not going out there again today!

    Every time I make Cheesy Vegetable Orzo, this little eye-roller happens at the dinner table:

    "Is that rice?"

    "No - it's orzo. Orzo is rice-shaped pasta."

    Every single time.

    Orzo Side dish

    This vegetable orzo recipe came to me many years ago by way of my friend Val, and it has become a staple on our table ever since. You can make it with fresh basil (fresh is always best) but dried basil works fine, too. 

    Related Recipes

    • Sweet Saffron Rice
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    • Rosemary Roasted Potatoes with Honey-Lemon Butter

    For more recipes and cozy living tips, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all of the latest updates.

    Orzo Side dish
    4.86 from 7 votes

    Cheesy Vegetable Orzo

    Cheesy Vegetable Orzo is a quick, easy, economical side dish that will convert even your worst vegetable-haters into zucchini-eaters.
    Print Pin Add to Shopping List Go to Shopping List
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Prep Time:5 minutes
    Cook Time:20 minutes
    Total Time:25 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 116kcal
    Author: Renee
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 1 Grater
    • 1 medium saucepan

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    • 1 teaspoon olive oil
    • ½ large large onion chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
    • 1 cup grated carrots
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • 1 cup orzo uncooked
    • 1 cup shredded zucchini
    • 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
    • 3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil

    Instructions

    • In a medium non-stick saucepan, saute onion in olive oil until soft (about three minutes). Add garlic and saute one minute more.
    • Add broth, grated carrots, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. (Add dried basil at this time if you aren't using fresh.)
    • Add orzo. Cover, reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until orzo is tender.
    • Remove from heat; stir in zucchini, cheese, and fresh basil if you are using it. Cover and let stand 2 minutes.

    Notes

    BROTH: If I use a commercially prepared vegetable broth, I omit the salt. If I use homemade broth, I dilute it dramatically so that the broth flavor doesn't overpower the other vegetables.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.75cup | Calories: 116kcal | Carbohydrates: 8.8g | Protein: 6.7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 533mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 1mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

    This post was originally published August 22, 2013

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    About Renée B.

    Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

    Reader Interactions

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    1. LB says

      August 27, 2022 at 2:57 pm

      4 stars
      Loved this with own personal preference tweaking. You really can’t go wrong with this dish. Toddler approved - I feel like that says a lot in and of itself haha!

      Reply
      • Renée says

        August 28, 2022 at 7:02 pm

        So happy that it met your toddlers high standards! Recipes on that list are gold! (The struggle is real.) 😉

        Reply
    2. Jenni LeBaron says

      January 17, 2020 at 2:17 pm

      5 stars
      What a gorgeous dish! This will be perfect for our Meatless Mondays and I love that this is packed full of veggies!

      Reply
    3. Emily says

      January 17, 2020 at 11:16 am

      This really looks good. I enjoy the texture and flavor of orzo.

      Reply
    4. Jordan | Read. Eat. Repeat. says

      January 17, 2020 at 5:35 am

      5 stars
      Now THIS sounds amazing. I'm always trying to sneak in more veggies on my unsuspecting family, and masking the zucchini in pasta and cheddar sounds perfect.

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        January 17, 2020 at 12:13 pm

        If you peel the zuke first, the kids won't even know it's there!

        Reply
    5. Scarlet says

      January 16, 2020 at 2:15 pm

      I love orzo and those veggie flowers are such a cute addition. My kids are gonna love those!

      Reply
    6. Veena Azmanov says

      January 16, 2020 at 1:56 pm

      5 stars
      Looks delicious and cheese is my all time favorite too. I am making it for sure.

      Reply
    7. Paula Montenegro says

      January 16, 2020 at 1:55 pm

      Such a great way to use orzo! I love it and love this idea of zucchini and cheese. The rice comment never fails to appear, haha! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    8. Chris Collins says

      January 16, 2020 at 1:41 pm

      5 stars
      I love orzo so much! Definitely trying this out on my next Meat Free Monday 🙂

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        January 16, 2020 at 1:46 pm

        Enjoy! ?

        Reply
    9. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says

      January 16, 2020 at 1:33 pm

      5 stars
      Now this looks like a side dish I definitely need to try! I struggle to get the family to eat zucchini sometimes so this may get them eating it.

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        January 16, 2020 at 1:45 pm

        If you peel the zucchini before you shred it, no one will even know it's there!

        Reply
    10. Tonje says

      January 16, 2020 at 1:20 pm

      This was delicious! Will be making it again for sure.

      Reply
    11. Amber Myers says

      January 16, 2020 at 11:21 am

      5 stars
      I tend to love all things with cheese. I am excited to try this out. It looks spectacular.

      Reply
    12. Shayla says

      January 16, 2020 at 8:07 am

      I have most of these ingredients, I think I'll make some of this tonight! It looks fantastic.

      Reply

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