This one pot orzo is an absolute treat, packed with flavorful mushrooms in a creamy sundried tomato sauce. A vegetarian “marry me chicken” alternative for mushroom lovers, and you won’t believe how easy it is to get on the table!
If you’re loving vegetarian “marry me” recipes, this orzo can’t be overlooked! It’s a one pot dinner packed with flavorful mushrooms and orzo pasta with a creamy sauce that packs in a ton of cheesy sundried tomato flavor. A couple handfuls of spinach or kale will never not be welcome here too, if you want to make it a complete meal that ticks a couple veggie boxes.
As you can see, it is quite bright and tomatoey thanks to the tomato paste and the fact I used a little less cream than perhaps I could have for a “marry me” sauce (on the basis that one pan orzo is always fairly creamy naturally, thanks to all the pasta starch, and I didn’t want it too rich). You can definitely play around with the quantities if you want something a little different, and the recipe will guide you with that.
The dish comes together really easily, and gets quicker every time you make it. First time, give it 45 minutes and prep before you start cooking. But once you get a feel for it, you can start to overlap your cooking and prep time since both the mushrooms and orzo need a little spell of time to cook when you’re hovering around the pan, but you’re also free to prep the ingredients for the next stage.
What You Need and What You Can Flex
- It’s important to use jarred sundried tomatoes in oil, because the oil is a key ingredient! It’s what we saute the mushrooms in, and they drink up all that flavor. It makes a big difference to how tasty the mushrooms are in the final dish.
- Shallots, red or white onions will all work equally well here but I do like to dice them as finely as possible.
- I tend to use white or chestnut mushrooms for this, leaving smaller ones whole and slicing larger ones in half. There’s no reason not to use larger portobello mushrooms if you’d rather – just cut them into chunks. Darker mushrooms may result in a darker / less vibrant sauce so if visuals are important, stick to white mushrooms!
- You can use parmesan, pecorino or a generic Italian hard cheese. Vegetarians, just watch out for animal rennet in this type of cheese. (If you’re in the US, you can find vegetarian friendly US made parmesans and if you’re in the UK, you can find vegetarian friendly Italian hard cheeses).
- Adding in some chopped spinach is a great way to boost the veggie content of this dish – it just wilts down and melts right in! Finely chopped kale would be great too, but it would fluff up and change the texture.
The Best Pan for the Job
Your best bet here is a large nonstick saute pan (deep sided frying pan). The nonstick aspect is really helpful when caramelizing your tomato paste and when simmering the orzo. When I used a ceramic coated cast iron casserole dish, I was really fighting the sticking, but the nonstick pan you see above did the job perfectly.
More Vegetarian “Marry Me Sauce” Recipes
Marry Me Mushroom Orzo (One Pot!)
Ingredients
- oil from a jar of sundried tomatoes, for cooking
- 10 oz (280 g) mushrooms , de-stemmed, left whole or halved depending on size
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed or diced
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped – see notes for metric conversion
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ chili or red pepper flakes
- 2-3 tbsp tomato paste, see notes
- 1 cup (170 g) dried orzo pasta
- 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable stock, you may need more
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) double (heavy) cream, or up to 1/2 cup
- ¾ cup (75 g) parmesan, pecorino or Italian hard cheese
- ½ bunch fresh basil, chopped
- 1-2 handfuls fresh spinach, chopped
Instructions
- Pour a shallow layer of the oil from the sundried tomato jar into a saute pan. Over a low – medium heat, saute the mushrooms until they are reduced and browning. Any juices that come into the pan should be evaporated before you move on. This can take up to 10 minutes, depending on your heat level.oil from a jar of sundried tomatoes, 10 oz mushrooms
- Add a little more of the oil to the pan, then add the shallots and saute until soft. Then stir the garlic through the pan. Once the garlic scent hits the air, move on.2 shallots, 4 cloves garlic
- Add the sundried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and smoked paprika and stir through the pan.1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 chili or red pepper flakes
- Add the tomato paste and mix through. If the pan feels dry, pour a little extra oil in. Saute for a few minutes to get the tomato paste a little bit caramelized. It will turn a slightly richer, darker color.2-3 tbsp tomato paste
- Add the orzo and vegetable stock and mix through. Bring to a bubble, then simmer, partially covered, until the orzo is cooked al dente. This can take 8-10 minutes depending on the brand. Open the lid and stir regularly to prevent sticking. Keep an eye on the liquid levels. Add more stock if the pan gets too dry before the orzo is cooked. Cook for the last few minutes uncovered if there's too much liquid in the pan when the orzo is almost done. (If you're adding kale instead of spinach, add it in the final couple minutes of the orzo's cooking time)1 cup dried orzo pasta, 2 cups vegetable stock
- Finally, add the cream, cheese, basil and spinach, and stir until the spinach has wilted. Assess the texture. Add more cream if you wish. If it feels too liquidy, let it sit uncovered for a few minutes and it will soon thicken up.1/3 cup double (heavy) cream, 3/4 cup parmesan, pecorino or Italian hard cheese, 1/2 bunch fresh basil, 1-2 handfuls fresh spinach
- Serve immediately, with additional cheese and basil for garnish.
