30 Minute Zucchini Orzo with Easy Chile Oil
This incredible one pot zucchini orzo is a flavourful and family friendly way to use up all that zucchini! It’s a 30 minute dinner with risotto vibes but way less effort - the optional chile oil turns up the heat for the grown ups! It’s nourishing comfort food at its finest.
Ingredients
Zucchini Orzo
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound zucchini trimmed and diced
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 pound orzo or other tiny pasta like ditalini
- 5 cups water divided
- 14 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 4 teaspoons Better than Bouillon Vegetarian "No Chicken" or 4 teaspoons/cubes bouillion
- 1½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- freshly cracked pepper
- salt to taste
Easy Chile Oil, optional (but delicious!!!)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried chile flakes
- 2 sundried tomatoes diced, see note
- pinch salt
Instructions
- If making the chile oil, place oil, chile flakes, sun-dried tomatoes and salt in a small pot over low heat. Let it steep while you make the orzo.
- Heat oil in a pasta pot over medium heat. Add the onion and zucchini and cook, stirring only once or twice, until the onion begins to soften and zucchini starts to brown in spots, 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add orzo and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. Deglaze with 1 cup of water, stirring constantly, until water is mostly absorbed, about another minute or two.
- Add remaining 4 cups water, chickpeas, Better than Bouillon, garlic powder and thyme and bring to a boil, stirring often as orzo likes to stick to the bottom of the pan!
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and cover with lid ajar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is al dente and saucy like risotto. This takes 10-15 minutes. If it looks like water is evaporating too fast and orzo is still firm, just add 1/2 a cup of water at a time to loosen it up. You won't hurt it!
- Once done, remove from heat and stir in nutritional yeast. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve in bowl with a drizzle of chile oil if using.
Video
Notes
I typically use sun-dried tomatoes jarred in oil or brine. If you have dry (i.e. not packed in liquid) sun-dried tomatoes, pop them into a hot water bath for 10 minutes to plump them up before using!