This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
This easy One Pot Tomato Orzo Recipe is perfect for busy weeknight meals. It's flavorful, satisfying, and it's ready in 30 minutes or less! Your family will love it!
Life is busy and most of us are looking for quick, easy, and filling meals to feed our families. However, that doesn't mean we have to sacrifice taste.
Simple meals can be full of flavor! This One-Pot Tomato Orzo Recipe fits the bill and will make your weeknight complete.
Plus, it'll be on your table in no time! I don't like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so I'm a big fan of 30-minute meals. They're anything, but boring!
We get to enjoy Portobello Vegan Fajitas, Hearty Soups, Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta, Salads, Mac n' Cheese, and many one-pot meals.
Is orzo rice or pasta?
Orzo looks like rice, but it's actually wheat-based pasta that is shaped like rice. So, you can't interchange them in many recipes because they cook up differently.
Ingredients needed for Tomato Orzo
- The star of the show is the Orzo!
- For the base, you'll need Olive Oil, Garlic, Dried Oregano, Crushed Red Pepper, and White Wine.
- To make the sauce, you'll need Diced Tomatoes, Vegetable Broth, and Salt.
- Finish with Capers and Fresh Basil or Parsley. That's it!
How to make Tomato Orzo in One Pot
- Heat oil in a large skillet/pot over medium heat. Add garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté until garlic is lightly golden.
- Add the orzo and stir to coat. Give the orzo a few minutes to lightly toast. Stir occasionally.
- Pour in the wine and cook until the liquid mostly cooks off.
- Now add the diced tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes.
- Add the broth and salt. Cover and gently simmer until liquid has mostly cooked down and orzo is tender. Uncover the last few minutes of cook time.
- Remove from heat and stir in the capers and fresh basil. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed. Let the orzo sit uncovered for 1-2 minutes. This will give it time to thicken up.
Success Tips
- To make this kid-friendly, reduce or omit the crushed red pepper.
- The wine can be omitted if you don't have it - just skip the step entirely.
- Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Don't simmer too high or the liquid will cook down before the orzo is finished cooking.
Serving Ideas
Tomato Orzo goes well with Vegan Caesar Salad, a big piece of Artisan Bread, and a glass of white wine. Top it with Vegan Parmesan, fresh-cracked pepper, and more fresh basil or parsley.
More one-pot meals to enjoy
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think by leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and sharing your feedback in the comment section below. It would make my day!
⭐️ Subscribe to the Vegan Huggs Newsletter and receive weekly recipes straight to your inbox! You'll also receive my FREE eCookbook featuring my top 10 recipes.
Recipe
One Pot Tomato Orzo Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 4-5 cloves garlic , minced
- ¾ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt , more to taste
- 1 ½ cups orzo pasta , uncooked
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes , canned
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth , low sodium
- 3 tablespoons capers
- ½ cup fresh basil , chopped (sub with parsley)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté for 1 minute until garlic is light golden brown.
- Add the orzo and stir to coat well. Cook for 1-2 minutes to lightly toast the orzo and incorporate flavors. Move around occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Pour in the white wine and cook until the liquid mostly cooks down. About 1-2 minutes.
- Now add the diced tomatoes (with juices) and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the vegetable broth and salt. Turn heat up to get it boiling. Once boiling, turn heat down to maintain a low simmer. Cover and cook for 7-10 minutes or until liquid has mostly cooked down and orzo is tender. Stir often to prevent sticking and uncover the last few minutes of cook time.
- Remove from heat and add the capers and fresh basil. Stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed. Let the orzo sit uncovered for 1-2 minutes. This will give it time to thicken up. Serve with vegan parmesan and fresh-cracked pepper. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- The wine can be omitted if you don't have it on hand. Just skip the step entirely. If you need to deglaze the pan a bit while the orzo is toasting, just splash a little bit of vegetable broth in the pan.
- To make this recipe kid-friendly, omit the crushed red pepper.
Christy
Trying this and your chickpea loaf and roasted veggies for Easter. Thanks for posting. I will comment after making.
Melissa Huggins
You're most welcome, Christy! I'd love to hear how everything turned out for Easter. 🙂
Olivia
Loved this! Easy, fast and delicious. Perfect for a busy weekday. I sprinkled the orzo with roasted pinenuts and added sauteed kale as a sidedish.
Melissa Huggins
I'm so glad it was a hit with everyone! Sounds perfect with the pine nuts and kale. Thank you for sharing feedback. 🙂
Hilda Tanguay
This was delicious! I jazzed it up by adding a diced onion in with the garlic, oregano and crushed red peppers. I only had a 28 Oz can of diced tomatoes so I used the whole can and just used about 1 cup of water and a tablespoon of tomato paste, just to give it a little more tomato taste and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar as I didn't have capers or white wine. It was fabulous! Will definitely make again.
Melissa Huggins
I'm so glad you loved it, Hilda! Thank you for sharing your modifications and feedback. 🙂
Tanya
Amazing! Only changes I made was adding half a diced onion and browning before adding rest of ingredients. Also added green olives since I didn't have capers. It was perfectly delicious!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Tanya, I'm so happy you loved the recipe! Thank you for trying it and sharing your modifications too! 🙂
Lynn
I made this recipe a few nights ago for a friend who was visiting from out of town. The result was absolutely amazing. The flavor was so delicious. I made the recipe exactly as written. I did not use vegan cheese, but it did not matter. It was sooooo good.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Lynn, I'm so happy you loved the recipe. It's a favorite of mine too. Thanks you for trying it and sharing your feedback. 🙂
Lisa
This dish was easy and delicious! I will definitely make it again :). I added white beans and spinach and cut back the capers to one tablespoon. Thank you!
Melissa Huggins
So happy you loved it, Lisa. Sounds perfect with the white beans and spinach. Thank you for trying it and sharing your feedback.