Pumpkin Orzo

Why We Love This Recipe

• Quick, easy, one pot recipe: This recipe requires very minimal prep work and comes together in under 30 minutes. You probably already have most of the ingredients in your pantry - spices, orzo, tomato paste, pumpkin, etc. It's perfect for a busy weeknight and tastes just as great as leftovers!
• Versatile: You can enjoy this pumpkin orzo as an easy side dish or light meal, but it also makes for a delicious base for your favorite proteins. Try it topped with meatballs (or vegan lentil ones would be great), leftover rotisserie chicken, sausage, or your favorite plant-based alternative.
• Adaptable: My mom (our recipe tester) is mostly dairy free, so we tried this recipe with nondairy ingredients (butter, cream and cheese) and it worked perfectly! We've include some ideas on substitutions in the "ingredient notes" section below.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this pumpkin orzo:

Ingredient Notes

• Orzo: If you take a look in our pantry, you will pretty much always find at least 2 bags of DeLallo Orzo! It's one of our favorite pasta shapes and it's so quick and easy to cook. I'm always adding it to soups, salads, or cooking some up as a side for a protein. You can order some here, or look for it in stores near you! DeLallo is our go-to for pastas, sauce, instant espresso and so much more. Their products are always such high quality and you can't go wrong with them!
  • We also love that this recipe uses the whole bag of orzo, so you won't end up with random leftover pasta in your pantry!

• Butter: We used salted butter. You can also use olive oil or a vegan butter alternative if preferred.
• Onion and garlic powder: We also tested this recipe with fresh onion and garlic, but preferred having a smooth texture to the risotto, so we opted for powder instead! If you would like to use fresh, sauté ½ of a yellow onion and a few cloves of minced garlic in the butter before adding in the orzo.
• Nutmeg: Optional, but a small pinch adds a lot of flavor and really complements the pumpkin.
• Broth: You can use vegetable or chicken broth in this recipe.
• Heavy cream: Feel free to use a nondairy alternative. We like this vegan heavy cream! You can also use full fat coconut milk, but note that it will have a mild coconut flavor.
• Pumpkin: Make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling.
• Parmesan: You can also use pecorino romano, gruyere, or even goat cheese for a different flavor profile. You can also use a vegan parmesan alternative to keep this dairy free.
• Herbs: Fresh parsley and thyme add the best punch of fresh flavor, but you can sub with ⅓ the amount of dried if preferred.

Step-by-step Instructions

STEP 1: Add butter to a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, stir in the orzo and let it toast for 2-3 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning. 

STEP 2: Stir in the tomato paste, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, nutmeg, thyme and a splash of broth, stirring until well combined.

STEP 3: Add in the broth and heavy cream. Stir well, then increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to low, cover and simmer for 7-8 minutes, until the liquid is mostly absorbed. 

STEP 4: Stir in the pumpkin and continue cooking for 5 minutes. If needed, add an additional 2-4 tablespoons of broth.

STEP 5: Stir in the parmesan and parsley and continue cooking until the cheese is melted, then serve warm with more parmesan and black pepper. 

Expert Tips and FAQs

• Make it vegan: We tested this recipe with nondairy alternatives and it worked perfectly! We used vegan butter, vegan heavy whipping cream and vegan parmesan shreds.
• Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or over low heat on the stovetop and stir in a splash of broth to loosen it up as needed. 
• Wait to add the pumpkin until after the orzo absorbs most of the liquid. We tried this recipe with adding the pumpkin first, but it ended up taking longer to cook this way.
• For an extra creamy, cheesy orzo, try adding in some goat cheese at the end! It will also add a nice, slightly tangy flavor that complements the pumpkin.
• What to serve with pumpkin orzo:
  • Serve with your favorite meatballs (or these lentil ones)
  • Add in leftover shredded rotisserie chicken
  • Sauté some spicy Italian sausage and stir it in at the end
  • Serve with your favorite plant-based "meat"

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