A creamy Orzo Pasta Recipe with garlic roasted asparagus and tomatoes, loads of parmesan, a divine amount of butter, and Boursin cheese.
Creamy Orzo Pasta
Orzo pasta recipes are an obsession. This is an easy to customize creamy orzo that you’ll swoon over! I make it with creamy soft boursin cheese to make it extra delicious. And did I already mention the PARMESAN?? It’s simply lovely. This recipe feeds 4-5, but can easily be doubled or halved to fit your needs. I double it for myself, no judgies.
What is orzo?
Orzo is a type of pasta, shaped just like long grain rice. It is a little larger when boiled, and has a very mild flavor just like other plain pasta noodles.
Is Orzo the same as risotto?
No, Orzo and Risotto are not the same thing. Risotto is a creamy italian dish made with a certain type of rice (Arborio) and rich broth. Orzo is simply a type of pasta that is shaped like long grain rice. Orzo can however be used as a substitute for arborio rice in a risotto recipe.
Ingredients needed for orzo pasta recipe
Here’s the grocery list for this orzo recipe, it’s not a long list, especially if you already have several of the ingredients on hand. Printable recipe below as always.
- Orzo – can be found in most stores with the pastas.
- Vegetable or Chicken Broth – can use water in place of broth.
- Asparagus
- Tomatoes – grape tomatoes or small heirloom tomatoes are perfect for roasting in this recipe.
- Boursin Cheese – Garlic and Fine Herb flavored soft gournay cheese.
- Fresh basil
- Milk – for the sauce
- Garlic – fresh minced
- SO MUCH Parmesan – fresh grated. I PLEAD with you to get fresh, don’t use the preserved bottled variety.
- Butter
- Olive oil, Salt & Pepper
How to cook Orzo:
Cooking orzo is just like cooking other types of pasta. It’s so easy! Here are the basic instructions of how to cook orzo along with the rest of the recipe.
- Preheat oven & heat broth in a medium/large pot until simmering.
- Roast the asparagus and tomatoes in garlic & olive oil while the broth heats.
- Add Orzo pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 7-9 minutes, until al dente.
- Remove from heat, stir in Boursin (gournay cheese), milk, parmesan cheese, and butter. Salt and pepper as desired.
- Top with roasted asparagus and tomatoes, add a liberal amount of fresh basil and even MORE parmesan, don’t be stingy.
What to serve with orzo pasta
There are a variety of side dishes that go with orzo, here are a few I love. There are some delicious greens as well as more carbs because well, it’s me.
More Easy and Delicious Pasta Recipes
Here are a few more unique pasta recipes for you to try. These are some of our favorites!
Creamy Orzo with Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- 1 lb Asparagus
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 8 oz orzo pasta
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 (5.2 oz) box Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Gournay Cheese
- ½ cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
For the Asparagus & Tomatoes
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- On a large baking pan place rinsed and trimmed asparagus, tomatoes, and minced garlic.
- Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and stir to coat evenly, then lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until asparagus is tender.
For the Orzo:
- Meanwhile prepare orzo by adding the broth to a medium pot, heating to boiling, adding pasta, and cooking 5-7 minutes until al dente and pasta has completely absorbed liquid.
- To the pasta add butter, boursin cheese, grated parmesan cheese, and milk. Stir in gently until everything melts together smoothly.
- To serve, stir in asparagus and tomatoes or place on top of individual servings of orzo pasta. Add grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil.
Notes
Nutrition
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