Vegetarian orzo is a flavorful dish that comes together quickly in one pot. Fresh diced veggies and herbs are combined with orzo in this delightful main vegan dish, or perfect on the side with grilled meats or salmon.
Next time, try this zesty Italian pasta salad.
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If you are looking for a quick, delicious, and satisfying vegetarian meal I highly recommend you start with this recipe. This vegetarian orzo is packed with flavor and vibrant veggies—perfect for a weeknight dinner or meal prep!
Ingredients
Orzo, a rice-shaped pasta, cooks quickly and absorbs flavors beautifully, making it the star of this dish. It is a very common pasta type in many Mediterranean dishes, this one included.
In this recipe, I use onions, garlic, carrots, and colored bell peppers. Once the vegetables are diced up, it only takes 20 minutes for everything to cook beautifully in a flavorful tomato based sauce.
Vegetarian Orzo Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1½ cups orzo
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 carrot grated
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- salt to taste
- 1½ - 2 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup tomato sauce
Instructions
- In a pot over medium-high heat add half the oil and toast the orzo until lightly brown.
- Remove orzo from the pan.
- Add the remaining oil and sauté onion for 3 minutes or until translucent.
- Add garlic and continue to cook for 30 seconds then add all the veggies, salt, pepper and rosemary.
- Stir everything for 3 minutes then mix in orzo.
- Pour vegetable broth and tomato sauce, mix everything well.
- Bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover and continue to cook until orzo is tender.
Notes
- You can use any small types of pasta in this recipe as well.
- I prefer using yellow onion in this recipe but you can use red onion as well.
- You can cook this dish with chicken or beef broth (not vegetarian) or water and veggie broth for vegans.
- Start with 1 ½ cups of stock then check the orzo. If it needs more liquid add the remaining half a cup.
- Veggies should be diced or shredded so they are able to cook while the orzo cooks.
- Add cooked mushrooms, tofu or pine nuts to the dish.
- For non-vegetarian, you can chop in any cooked chicken, ground beef or shrimp as well.
- You can use any spices or fresh herbs you like to vary the flavor each time. Like cardamom, cinnamon, allspice...etc.
Nutrition
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💬 FAQs
Any small type of pasta. Pastina, acini di pepe, and ditalini are the best. You can also use rice, bulgur or quinoa but you'll of course need to adjust cooking time accordingly.
Yes! Substitute regular orzo with gluten-free orzo or quinoa for a similar texture.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove or microwave.
Absolutely, this recipe is freezer-friendly. Place cooked and cooled orzo in a freezer safe container and freeze up to 2 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat as mentioned above.
Amira's tips
- You can use any small pasta in this vegetarian orzo, you can find more on that on the FAQ section above.
- You can cook this dish with chicken or beef broth (not vegetarian) or water.
- Start with 1 ½ cups of stock then check the orzo. If it needs more liquid add the remaining cup.
- Veggies should be diced or shredded so they are able to cook while the orzo cooks.
Variations
- Add cooked mushrooms, tofu, or pine nuts to make this vegetarian orzo even heartier.
- For non-vegetarians, you can chop in any cooked chicken, ground beef, or shrimp as well.
- You can use any spices or fresh herbs you like to vary the flavor each time, like cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, etc.
- Top with some Parmesan cheese or red pepper flakes.
Related Recipes
If you love meatless dishes full of Mediterranean flavors like this, be sure to check out some of our other fan favorites! Try the hearty Mujadara with fragrant caramelized onions, or this vibrant, oven-baked Greek Gemista filled with herbed rice and fresh vegetables.
And for something cozy and soul-warming, try the ultimate delicious and flavorful Egyptian Koshari, and pleas please do not skip any of the sauces. Sauce is what sets this Koshari recipe apart.
Serving suggestions
While satisfying on its own, this vegetarian orzo can be made even heartier by pairing it with complementary vegetarian or non-vegetarian options.
If you like comforting, flavorful recipes that are easily customized with whatever veggies you have on hand, give this a try and let me know what you think in the comments!
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Nesreen
Made this for dinner and it was so good. I served it with your kofta kebab and my whole family loved it.
Willha Ra
I keep coming back to this recipe as my husband loves it. It has been my go to when I do not know what to make for dinner. Thank you.
Nathalie
An amazing healthy quick recipe perfect for midweek. It was amazing as a snack, as a side dish and also as a main dish. Very tasty - definitely one of my go to recipes when hungry!