One-Pot Tomato Orzo
Orzo cooks straight in the tomato broth, so the starch thickens the sauce and there is one pan to wash. Use cherry tomatoes if the big ones are pale — they are sweeter out of season.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 400 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 250 g orzo
- 600 ml hot vegetable stock
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- A pinch of chilli flakes
- 60 g parmesan, finely grated
- A handful of basil
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- Warm the oil in a wide pan and soften the onion with a good pinch of salt for 6 minutes.
- Add the garlic, oregano and chilli and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Tip in the tomatoes and cook for 4 minutes, pressing them until they slump.
- Stir in the orzo and the hot stock, bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 11–13 minutes, stirring now and then so it does not catch.
- When the orzo is just tender and the sauce glossy, take it off the heat and stir in the parmesan and half the basil.
- Season, scatter the rest of the basil over, and eat straight from the pan.
Notes
If the pan dries out before the orzo is tender, add stock a splash at a time — it should still be saucy at the end.
No cherry tomatoes? Use a 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes and 100 ml extra stock.
Leftovers thicken overnight; loosen with a spoon of water and reheat gently.