What kind of tomatoes are best?

I use tinned tomatoes here for ease - I like using whole, peeled plum tomatoes, but you could use crushed, chopped or passata. Try to get a good quality tinned tomato for the best flavour if you can.

Can I make this in advance?

You can! It's wonderful for meal prep. The sauce will thicken up in the fridge so you can add a tiny bit of water when you’re reheating it to loosen things up. Reheat it either on the stovetop or in the microwave. It’ll last at least 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

I don't like olives - what else can I use?

You can just use more of the sundried tomatoes or use capers for a similar salty hit.

Can I use fresh tomatoes?

Yes! Use the same quantity of fresh tomatoes - roughly 4 large tomatoes. Make sure you chop them up reasonably finely so they can soften down nicely.

Could I add anything else to the orzo?

This is a brilliant base recipe and you can get creative with what you add. I love to stir through a couple of handfuls of spinach at the end, or you could add jarred artichokes, and red pepper, or use feta instead of mozzarella at the end.

Cheesy Tomato One Pot Orzo Risotto (Orzotto)

Name: Cheesy Tomato One Pot Orzo Risotto (Orzotto)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon oil from your sundried tomato jar; 3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced; 1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely diced; 1 can (typically 400g/14oz) plum tomatoes (or use crushed tomatoes or passata); ½ cup Kalamata olives, roughly chopped or torn; ½ cup chopped sundried tomatoes; 1 ¼ cups orzo; 2 ½ cups water (or use vegetable or chicken stock); ½ cup grated parmesan; Handful of fresh basil leaves, torn; 1 ball mozzarella, torn; Freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon olive oil

Description

This SUPER easy tomato orzo risotto (or orzotto!) takes just 20 minutes, is packed with flavour and made all in one pot for the ultimate quick weeknight meal.

It’s also great for meal prep, and is easily customisable based on what you have in your kitchen.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 tablespoon oil from your sundried tomato jar
3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely diced
1 can (typically 400g/14oz) plum tomatoes (or use crushed tomatoes or passata)
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, roughly chopped or torn
1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
1 1/4 cups orzo
2 1/2 cups water (or use vegetable or chicken stock)
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
1 ball mozzarella, torn
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

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Instructions

Cook the garlic and chilli. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large pot or pan with high sides and set over a low heat. Add the sliced garlic, diced red chilli and 1 teaspoon of salt and stir through the oil for a couple of minutes. We’re just looking for them to soften slightly, so watch the garlic as it can easily burn. PRO TIP: Add a splash (1/2 tablespoon) of water to the pan if you think your garlic is starting to take on colour – the water will help the garlic soften and will stop too much colour forming.
Add the tomatoes, olives, orzo and water. Add the tin of plum tomatoes, the chopped olives and sundried tomatoes. Give them a stir, then add the orzo. Give it a little stir through the sauce, then add all 2 ½ cups of water. Stir the water through, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make sure you do watch it and stir it because orzo likes to stick to the bottom of the pan. If that does happen, you should be able to scrape it off the bottom with your spatula.
Finish the orzo. After 10 minutes of simmering, the sauce should be looking nice and thick and the orzo should be al dente (cooked but still with a little bite in the middle). Give it a little taste to check. If the orzo is still a little firm, you can cook it for another few minutes. Once you’re happy the orzo is al dente, add the 1/2 cup of grated parmesan and half the torn basil leaves. Stir them through the orzo. The parmesan will melt into the sauce, making it extra creamy and delicious. Remove the pan from the heat.
Garnish and serve. Dollop the torn pieces of mozzarella all over the top of the orzo, then finish with the rest of the basil leaves, a good grind of black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

You can play around with the ingredients here – switch out the parmesan and mozzarella for feta, cream cheese, boursin or blue cheese, swap basil for thyme, parsley or coriander, use jarred artichokes, capers or red peppers, cook down a couple of tablespoons of ‘nduja or chopped chorizo at the beginning (if you’re not vegetarian) or stir through a couple of handfuls of spinach leaves at the end. It’s a great one for using up bits and bobs in your kitchen.

This is a great one for meal prep – it’ll last for 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Just reheat in the microwave or on the stove-top. I like to add a little bit of water (1 tablespoon) just to help the sauce loosen up as it will thicken up in the fridge.

I love topping this with parmesan crisps for something extra special.

Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 15
Category: pasta
Method: stove top
Cuisine: italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 350g

Keywords: tomato risotto, tomato pasta, one pot pasta