Carrot Orzo Pasta
This beautifully simple carrot orzo pasta dish is a favorite weeknight dinner. It has wonderful flavor with very little coaxing needed, and reheats beautifully for leftovers. I’ve been cooking this recipe (adapted from Better Homes & Gardens) for years now, and it always turns out well. The pasta simmers in carrot juice and broth to form a lovely, creamy sauce with plump orzo.
By some chemical miracle, the pasta is never under or overcooked as long as you keep the heat consistent, and stir somewhat frequently. I have made this recipe on terrible college apartment stoves and a 1950s range and it comes out as beautifully as when I cook it on my fancy adult gas stove. No matter where I cook it, it always comes together in under 30 minutes.
Orzo mean “rice” in Italian, but orzo pasta is a typical wheat-flour pasta formed into the shape of large grains of rice. You cannot substitute rice or any other types of pasta into this recipe, the orzo is crucial to achieving the right texture. Technically this recipe is called an orzotto - a creamy pasta similar to a risotto, just using orzo pasta instead of rice.
Carrots are in season in the fall, and it’s a great way to use your farmer’s market bounty. Use multi-colored carrots for a colorful accent in the dish. However, if you need a “can’t even” meal this is a great candidate, too. simply use a bag of pre-shredded carrots and bada bing - no need for peeling and shredding yourself.
While my favorite way to make this dish is with parmesan, fresh parmesan can get a little stringy as it melts (I love the string, personally). For a summertime twist, add a little lemon juice at the end and substitute feta for the parmesan. Also, this dish can easily be made vegan! Simply swap vegetable stock for chicken stock and find some vegan parmesan.
How to make a Carrot Orzotto
Ingredients
2 c carrot juice
1 3/4 c (a 14 oz can) of chicken stock
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs butter
10 oz orzo pasta
1 c finely diced, juliened, or shredded carrots (about 5 small whole carrots)
Salt and pepper
1/2 c parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish)
Tools
Saucepan
Stirring spoon
1 qt (4 cup) microwave-safe measuring cup
Vegetable peeler, knife, and cutting board to peel and chop carrots (if not using pre-shredded).
Instructions
Pour carrot juice and chicken stock into measuring cup and heat for 2-3 minutes in the microwave, depending on the strength of your microwave. Set aside.
Add butter and olive oil to a saucepan on medium heat. Let the butter melt, and. then add the dry orzo pasta, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring gently and consistently, for 3-5 minutes (until the orzo is turning golden and has a nice toasty, buttery, nutty aroma).
Add the carrots to the orzo and stir in for even distribution.
Pour 1 cup of the warmed carrot juice/stock mixture into the orzo. Keep the heat between medium/medium high and stir occasionally, letting the liquid absorb into the pasta. Be careful - if it cooks too fast, you’ll get underdone pasta with burnt sauce bits.
Continue adding liquid 1 cup at a time after the previous batch has mostly absorbed. You’re looking for the consistency of a nice creamy mac and cheese.
After the last cup has mostly absorbed, remove the pasta from the heat and stir in the parmesan until it’s melted (stir well!). Add a little dribble of water if the consistency seems too thick, as the pasta will absorb more liquid as it cools.
Serve immediately! Add a splash of carrot juice if reheating.
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