One Pot Tomato Orzo Recipe

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

1. Heat oil in a large skillet/pot over medium heat. Add garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté until garlic is lightly golden.
2. Add the orzo and stir to coat. Give the orzo a few minutes to lightly toast. Stir occasionally.
3. Pour in the wine and cook until the liquid mostly cooks off.
4. Now add the diced tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes.
5. 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.
6. 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

• One Pan Mexican Quinoa
• Easy Vegan Chickpea Curry
• Sopa De Fideo

📖 Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe

5 from 53 votes

One Pot Tomato Orzo Recipe

This easy One-Pot Basil and Tomato Orzo Recipe is perfect for busy weeknight meals. It's flavorful, satisfying, and it's ready in 30 minutes or less!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Vegan

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 342kcal

Author: Melissa Huggins

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 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)

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

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

1. 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.
2. To make this recipe kid-friendly, omit the crushed red pepper. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1(1 ½ cups) | Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 410mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 160IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1.6mg

Tried this recipe?Follow me @veganhuggs and mention #veganhuggs!