You can make this cheesy, garlicky Mediterranean orzo pasta recipe in just 15 minutes!
If you love orzo pasta recipes that feel simple yet a little special, this one’s for you. Toasting the orzo in good extra virgin olive oil brings out its nutty flavor, which is a great match for umami-rich parmesan, tangy sun dried tomatoes, and fresh herbs.
Though it looks like rice, orzo is a small, quick-cooking pasta that’s perfect for busy weeknights. We have so many delicious orzo recipes, from creamy orzo with Greek yogurt, to lemony orzo soup, to orzo risotto.
This “kicked up” orzo is very much a pantry hero that’s perfect all year. It’s a satisfying meal in its own right, but fits in well alongside lamb, baked chicken, or cod, and beyond.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This Mediterranean-style toasted orzo pasta is made with just a few ingredients with bold flavors. Here is what you’ll need to make it:
- Extra virgin olive oil: I used our Italian Nocellara EVOO, which is a delicious, medium-intensity olive oil with aromas of freshly cooked tomatoes and vegetables.
- Orzo pasta: You can use regular, whole wheat, or even gluten-free orzo pasta for this recipe.
- READ MORE: Wondering what is orzo, exactly? Check out our guide: All About Orzo.
- Herbs: Parsley and dill bring freshness. Swap with basil and mint, if you prefer.
- Spices: Red pepper flakes are optional but add a nice heat! Salt and pepper perk everything up.
- Garlic: Substitute shallot or green onion.
- Lemon: Substitute fresh lime juice.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: You can use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil or packaged dry, either way. I prefer the rich natural flavor of unsulfured.
- Grated parmesan: Substitute pecorino.
How to Make this Easy Orzo Pasta Recipe
This orzo pasta recipe comes together quickly, so it’s best to prep the ingredients before starting. Here are the steps:
- Get ready. Bring 7 cups water to a boil. Mince 5 garlic cloves. Ready yourself 1 packed cup chopped parsley, 1/2 cup chopped dill, 1/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes, and 1/2 to 3/4 cups grated parmesan.
- Toast the orzo. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high. Add 1 1/2 cups orzo and toss until toasted to a beautiful golden brown.
- Cook the orzo. Add the boiling water to the saucepan and season well with salt. Cook to al dente according to the package instructions (about 7 to 8 minutes). Reserve one cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
- Make the herby olive oil sauce. In a large pan, warm 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and season with a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook, tossing regularly, until just fragrant. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water and squeeze in the juice of 1/2 lemon. Raise the heat if needed to bring to a boil. Add the parsley and dill.
- Combine. Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add the sun dried tomatoes and half of the grated parmesan. Toss to combine. If the pasta looks dry, add a little more of the pasta cooking water and mix vigorously until it looks glossy. Finish with more Parmesan and red pepper flakes, if you like.
What to Serve with Orzo Pasta
You can easily turn orzo pasta into a meal on its own, or use it as a versatile side dish. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it:
- Make it a vegetarian meal: Toss your orzo with a simple salad, like arugula salad with avocado.
- Serve it as a side: Orzo makes an excellent stand-in for rice, as it soaks up sauces beautifully and goes with just about anything. Try this orzo recipe with saucy mains like Greek baked meatballs and garlic Dijon chicken.
More Orzo Pasta Recipes
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One-Pan Lemon Chicken Orzo with Peas and Spinach
Meat and Poultry
One Pan Chicken Orzo
Mediterranean Diet Recipes
Mediterranean Orzo Recipe with Zucchini and Chickpeas
Browse all Mediterranean recipes.
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
- 7 cups boiling water
- Kosher salt
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 packed cup chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped dill
- 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
- Black pepper
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup grated parmesan, plus more to your liking
Instructions
- Toast the orzo. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high. Add the orzo and toss until toasted to a beautiful golden brown.
- Cook the orzo. Add the boiling water to the saucepan and season well with salt. Cook to al dente according to the package instructions (about 7 to 8 minutes). Reserve one cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
- Make the herby olive oil sauce. In a large pan, warm 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and season with a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook, tossing regularly, until just fragrant. Add the lemon juice and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Raise the heat if needed to bring to a boil. Add the parsley and dill.
- Combine. Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add the sun dried tomatoes and half of the grated parmesan. Toss to combine. If the pasta looks dry, add a little more of the pasta cooking water and mix vigorously until it looks glossy. Finish with more Parmesan and red pepper flakes, if you like.
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and sun dried tomatoes used in this recipe.
- This recipe will feed 4 people as a vegetarian main and about 6 or so as a side.
- Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in a tightly closed container. Warm over medium heat.
Nutrition
Try Our Authentic Italian Olive Oil
Hand-picked and cold-extracted Extra Virgin Olive Oil from 100% Nocellara del Belice Sicilian olives.
*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.
Hi, I am following your meal plan and having a fabulous time! however I cannot eat gluten (I’ve been making substitutions when necessary). Is this a recipe I should skip completely or could I substitute some other grain into it? It looks delicious.
Hi, Jamie. This is Kate, Suzy’s gluten free team member :). I’ve actually tried this a few times with gluten free pasta and it is delish! I didn’t attempt to toast it though, so I’m not sure if that part will work as it does with regular pasta. I think I need to do a little experimenting there.
I’d like to try adding kalamata olives and feta.
We really like orzo, and sun dried tomatoes are the best. But I honestly couldn’t imagine dill in this, so I subbed fresh basil at the end and we loved it. Toasting pasta gives it a whole lovely depth of flavor. I did decrease the oil too.
Toasting the orzo made a big difference. All I had on hand for herbs was Thai basil which I tossed in fresh at the very end. Great! Next time I will use less oil when sautéing the garlic—as much as I love olive oil it was bit too much for us. Sun dried tomatoes also a very nice touch.
I like the idea of toasting the orzo but would use less oil. I would also make it in advance because I had three other dishes cooking at the same time and kinda goofed and put the sun dried tomatoes in too soon. This is really good with roasted balsamic veggies on top. Zucchini, mushrooms and carrots. Could eat your orzo with the veggies as a main dish for dinner!
Hi Suzy! My family loved your toasted orzo!! It was absolutely delicious! I plan to keep it!! I am watching my calorie and protein intake so I appreciate the nutrition information. However, it does not mention what amount a serving size is. Can you please let me know? And if other recipes don’t mention the serving size do I assume it is 1/2 cup or 1 cup. I just don’t know. Thank you so much! I love watching you cook! Your so sweet and so fun!! 🥰
Hi, Darlene. Our recipes can be divided by the number of servings listed to get the “serving size”. The nutrition info here is our best effort and we use a program that calculates that for us based on the ingredient list. Unfortunately, the exact serving size measurement (by cups, etc) is another layer that’s harder for us to precisely calculate at the moment.
Gorgeous. I love the olive oil content. Love the spark of the sun dried tomatoes, and love them as a contrast to red pepper flakes. The dill and parsley add veg brightness.
Perfection with grated parmigiano reggiano atop.
What a lovely review, Kristen! Thank you.
Very bland. I’d quadruple the seasonings and maybe add diced onion for more flavor depth.
Thanks for the feedback, Leah.
Suzy, I did this today. It was very good, the only thing noticed was the it was very greasy.
Very, very good
Thanks, Katie!
Delicious. I will reduce the oil to maybe 1/3 cup next time but otherwise will keep it the same.
The whole family loved this receipe. Easy to make and delicious. This will definitely be in regular rotation.
Awesome! Thanks, Melissa!
This is delicious! I wanted something fast and relatively easy to make for a late dinner and this was perfect. I used less parsley and dill, due to being low on supply, but it still turned out great. I added sautéed onions just for fun and it was a good addition for additional flavor.
Thank you for sharing, Marie!
Hey, Suzy. I don’t care for sundried tomatoes, Do you have another suggestion??
Hi, Amy. What about regular tomatoes? You could cook some cherry tomatoes with the sauce, or even roast some in the oven and then toss them in at the end.
Followed this recipe exactly and it came out great! I usually add more seasoning than a recipe suggests but this one was perfect. Seems like it would be good with some extra sun dried tomatoes and spinach.
Thanks, Nikki!
Thanks for the feedback, Nikki!
Very flavorsome dish with appetizing aromas. Followed the recipe as is. Thank you.