Quick and Easy Creamy Garlic Parmesan Orzo Recipe

This creamy garlic parmesan orzo recipe is tasty Italian comfort food, made with orzo pasta, Parmesan cheese, cream and seasonings. It’s a pasta main dish or quick side dish made in one pot with simple ingredients and is ready in 20 minutes! It’s perfect for busy weeknights.

Pasta is a simple dish that can make any mom’s life easier during the week when you just want to feed your family quickly and with little effort after a long day. Feeding your family daily is a job in itself! So, I’m always looking for ways to do it easily, cheaply and nutritiously. 

Growing up, I took for granted the effort my mom, who was an Italian immigrant, made to make us a homecooked meal each night for dinner. Those were the days when washing dishes wasn’t even a thought. 

You’re going to love how easy and tasty this pasta dish is to make without a lot of dishes to wash!

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What is Orzo?

Orzo is an oval-shaped pasta or common described as a ric-shaped pasta however, it’s a little pasta made from a type of flour called semolina. It’s bigger than pastina and acini de pepe. Note that some orzo pasta is larger than others. As with any other type of pasta, cook it until it’s al dente for best results.

Is Orzo healthier than pasta?

Orzo is pasta so, it has the same nutrtional information as pasta. Although it looks similar to rice before it’s cooked (it expands as it cooks), it not not rice.

Do you need to rinse orzo before cooking?

No, you do not need to rinse the orzo before cooking it for this recipe. Doing so removes a layer of starch that helps the creamy sauce adhere to it. 

How do you keep Orzo from getting mushy?

The answer is simply not to overcook it. It should be cooked for no longer than 10 minutes to achieve al dente, which is how all pasta should be cooked. It’s more nutritious al dente too. Put a timer on to avoid overcooking.

How do Italians eat orzo?

Italians eat orzo as a second course after the antipasto, cold in salads or hot in soups.

As I’ve mentioned above, this pasta dish can be served as a main course or hearty side dish. It’s a good side dish for chicken and pork especially.

Ingredients

The full, printable recipe is the recipe card below.

• fresh garlic cloves, minced
• salted butter
• extra virgin olive oil
• orzo pasta
• chicken broth
• ​heavy cream
• fresh parsley
• grated parmesan cheese
• salt and black pepper to taste

Instruction Summary

The full, printable recipe is the recipe card below.

1. First, add butter, oil and garlic to a large skillet or pot and cook for a short time.
2. Next, add chicken broth and orzo. Cook until al dente. Do not overcook pasta.
3. Last, stir in cream, grated parmesan cheese, chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

It’s an easy orzo pasta recipe. 

Additions and Substitutions

• At the end, add fresh spinach leaves. The heat from the pasta will wilt the spinach.
• Add 1/4 cup of chopped, sun dried tomatoes at the same time as when you cook the garlic.
• Add 1/2 cup of cooked, chopped broccoli to add a green veggie.
• Make it spicy. Add red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne pepper at the end.
• Use half and half instead of heavy cream
• Add shredded cooked: chicken or sliced Italian sausage.

How to serve Creamy Garlic Parmesan Orzo 

Serve it with a green salad and garlic bread or cheesy garlic bread.

Serve this as a side dish to:

Grilled Lemon Rosemary Chicken Breast

Italian Breaded Chicken Cutlets

Air Fryer Pork Chops

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Your whole family will love this delicious, comfort food pasta dish! It can be eaten as a filling main dish or easy side dish for busy weeknights. 

You may also like:

Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad

Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad

Easy Creamy Garlic Mushroom Gnocchi Recipe

Creamy Chicken and Sun Dried Tomato Gnocchi

See more PASTA RECIPES.