This Creamy Orzo recipe is the best way to prepare these tiny noodles. It’s perfectly cheesy and so rich – everyone will love it!
Want an unbeatable family dinner? Serve my baked orzo with Breaded Chicken Skewers or Air Fryer Pork Chops (VIDEO)
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I love making this Creamy Orzo recipe because everyone in the family loves its great flavor. It’s so simple and it comes out tasting rich and delicious every time.
- TASTE: This Creamy Orzo is super cheesy with a delicious hint of garlic. The rich and creamy flavor is the best.
- TEXTURE: This dish is loaded with al dente pasta and gooey, melted cheeses.
- TIME: This recipe takes about 30 minutes.
- EASE: To make this cheesy side dish, you just need to follow a few very easy steps. It’s really simple to make.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Heavy whipping cream- This ingredient adds lots of rich, creamy flavor and a smooth texture.
- Garlic cloves– For a delicious pungent flavor.
- Shredded Parmesan cheese– This cheese is nutty and a little salty.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese– This is a rich and creamy cheese that melts to gooey deliciousness.
- Orzo- This small rice-like pasta is perfect in this cheesy dish.
- Salt– To taste.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Substitute another pasta type- You can swap orzo for bow tie pasta or even angel hair pasta if you want. They all turn out tasting scrumptious.
- Add vegetables- Make this recipe with some spinach, diced tomatoes, onion, celery, carrot, or baby bella mushrooms.
- Make it with meat- Ground pork, beef, chicken breast, or shrimp would be a delicious addition to this Creamy Orzo.
- Add cream cheese- Make this dish extra creamy and thick with the addition of cream cheese.
How to Make Creamy Orzo
- Prepare the cheesy cream sauce. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan. Add in the grated garlic and the shredded Parmesan cheese.
- Prepare the pasta. Boil and drain the orzo pasta.
- Combine. Add the hot cheesy cream to the pot of pasta and stir to combine.
- Bake. Place the cheesy pasta mixture in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle shredded mozzarella and parmesan on top. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or until cheese becomes golden brown.
Pro Tip: Butter the baking dish before adding the creamy orzo so it doesn’t burn and stick to the pan. It’s so much easier to clean this way!
Recipe Tips
- Add the Parmesan when the cream is hot- Wait until the cream has gotten hot before adding the Parmesan cheese so it melts.
- Salt the pasta water- Adding salt to the water the orzo is cooked in will impart more flavor than adding salt afterward.
- Cook the orzo al dente- Be careful not to overcook the pasta because it will continue to cook in the oven when it’s mixed with the cream and cheeses. You don’t want it super mushy.
- Broil it- During the last few minutes of cooking, you can broil the Creamy Orzo. This will direct heat onto the cheese on top, giving you a lovely golden brown layer.
FAQs
Orzo is basically pasta that is shaped like grains of rice. If you enjoy the texture of pasta, you’ll be a fan of how this Creamy Orzo turns out.
If you overcook the orzo, it will become very mushy. Only cook it to the package directions for al dente pasta so that when it finishes cooking in the oven, it doesn’t turn to mush.
Serving Suggestions
This Creamy Orzo recipe makes an amazing side dish that goes great with so many flavors. You can serve it with meats, seafood, vegetables, or bread.
- Meats: Enjoy this as the side to a delicious meal of Grilled Chicken Kabobs, Breaded Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (VIDEO), Cast Iron Ribeye Steak, or Air Fryer Pork Chops (VIDEO).
- Seafood: Serve this Creamy Orzo with some Cajun Shrimp, Panko Crusted Salmon, Pan Fried Cod with Sautéed Vegetables, or Cilantro Lime Salmon.
- Vegetables: Pair this side dish with some Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, Air Fryer Green Beans, Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, or Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli.
- Bread: Serve this pasta side dish with some Focaccia Bread, Rustic Bread (overnight), Super Soft Brioche Dinner Rolls, or Buttermilk Cornbread.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can pre-cook the pasta and rinse it before storing it in the fridge. When you’re ready, make the cheesy cream, combine, and bake.
Storing: Store this Creamy Orzo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat it in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
Freeze: You can freeze this dish in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Bring it to room temperature before reheating it.
More Deliciously Cheesy Dishes!
This recipe was originally posted on May 27, 2016, we’ve tweaked it a bit since then.
Full Recipe Instructions
Creamy Orzo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1-2 garlic cloves grated
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese divided
- 1 lb orzo uncooked
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the grated garlic.
- Once the cream is hot, mix in 1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese.
- Cook the orzo according to the package, making sure to salt the pasta water. Once cooked, drain the water out.
- Add the hot cheesy cream into the pot of pasta and stir to combine.
- Place the pasta in a buttered 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
- Shred the mozzarella and sprinkle 1 cup over the orzo along with 1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes or until the cheese becomes golden brown.
Nutrition
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Melanie Tagliaferro says
Can you assemble this ahead of time and bake it the next day? I will be taking it to a Thanksgiving neighborhood get together.
Dina says
Hi Melanie, yes you can pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and add the cheese on top then cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate until ready to bake (uncovered). I would also like to mention that you may want to slightly undercook the pasta so that it doesn’t absorb too much of the sauce overnight and get too mushy. Another tip: you may want to bake a little longer since it will be straight out of the fridge and will take a little longer to fully heat through.
Leslie Hamilton says
I’m always looking for sides besides the regular old mashed potatoes and Mac and cheeses. This is amazing! So cheesy, it almost feels fancy to look at and requires little to no effort from me!
Dina says
Thank you so much for your kind feedback Leslie! Thank you for giving this orzo recipe a try. I am glad that you enjoyed this recipe and I hope it becomes a repeat recipe in your home. I hope you find more recipes to enjoy from my food website!
Amanda says
I haven’t made the recipe yet, but I am excited to make it this weekend. Do you think I would be able to substitute cheddar cheese for either the parmesan or mozzarella? Or do you think it would throw things off?
Dina says
Hi Amanda, thats a great question! I think if you mix the cheddar with the mozzarella it would still work. But if you only do cheddar, it might throw the recipe off a little. I hope that helps 🙂
Stevon S Carter says
Hello, I’m going to make this over the weekend. I’m always confused when baking in the baking dish should I bake with the baking dish lid on or off or cover with aluminum foil and the baking dish lid?
Dina says
Hi Stevon, great question! For this recipe, there is no covering required 🙂
Karen says
My picky family loved it! Like yo said it also is a excellent ‘base’ to which you can add a variety of meats or vegetables.
Dina says
Hi Karen 🙂 Awesome to hear your picky family approved of this orzo recipe. Thank you for your support by giving this recipe a try! I hope you find more recipes for your picky family from my food website! 🙂
Nikki V says
I tried this recipe tonight. It was pretty good, but needed more cheese, more salt and lots of black pepper. I’ll definitely make it again.
Dina says
Thank you for the feedback Nikki! I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe with minor adjustments 🙂
Cathy says
Loved it added ,shrimp and asparagus ❤️
Dina says
What a yummy addition!
Amy says
I made this and put it over cubed chicken breast and broccoli that were sautéed together. Baked it for the same time on the recipe and it was heaven!
Dina says
Hi Amy 🙂 Awesome to hear you made a great combo with this baked orzo recipe! Always happy when people love my recipes! Thank you for your support and feedback! 🙂
Susan says
Liked this but had too much for two of us even though I cut recipe in half. Can this be frozen?
Dina says
Hi Susan 🙂 Glad to hear you enjoyed this baked orzo recipe! Yes, you can freeze baked orzo after it is baked.
Rachel says
Thank you for sharing this recipe!! My whole family loved this and is asking for it again! Super yummy and quick to make!! 👍🏻👍🏻
Dina says
Yay! That is so awesome to hear Rachel! It’s always a win when the family loved it! Happy to hear that this baked orzo recipe will be on repeat in your home! Thank you for your feedback and support! 🙂
Karyn says
I made this last night for the first time, for guests (risky!). It was fantastic and it received rave reviews. I left the orzo in the pot that I cooked it in for a while, and it was like a brick when I went to add the cheese sauce. I had to break it up with my fingers it was so solid. However, you could not tell with the final dish, it really came out well. I added panko on top of the cheeses layer, which I would do again.
Dina says
Wow, Karyn, that’s awesome! I am so glad that the recipe turned out delicious and that your guests loved it too. I really appreciate you taking the time to leave your awesome feedback!
vivian says
Delicious dish that is so simple to make. I am vegetarian, and so used vegan Parmesan, which doesn’t melt as well, but doesn’t contain rennet. I can think of so many variations of this dish with the addition of cooked mushrooms, broccoli, peas or asparagus, that I’m sure it will appear on our table again. Thanks for a great recipe!
Dina says
Hi Vivian 🙂 Glad to hear you made this baked orzo work for you! Yes, this recipe is very versatile and will work great with those additions! Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try and thank you for your support! I hope you find many more recipes to enjoy from my food blog! 🙂
Traci says
Will minced garlic work in place of grated garlic?
Dina says
Yes, that will work 🙂
Cassie Barnard says
Not sure if my question went through because I don’t see it posted… Is it possible to assemble this dish right up until the end of step 6 a few hours before baking? I would like to make earlier in the day and then just pop it into the oven along with a chicken dish I will be serving alongside of it. Thanks.
Dina says
Hi Cassie, yes you can definitely have it prepped in advance a few hours before baking. I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Maria says
Hi Dina,
Can you use milk if you don’t have cream in hand? Thanks. Maria
Dina says
Hi Maria, I don’t think milk will work unless you create a roux by adding flour to the butter. I hope that helps 🙂
Joe Parkmoor says
This dish is excellent and so easy to make. I’ve made it multiple times and my whole family enjoys it. I love that it works as a wonderful side dish with meat entrees. It also makes a great meatless main course on its own, served with some crusty bread and a green salad.
Dina says
Hi Joe 🙂 Very happy to hear you and your family love this orzo recipe! Awesome that you are using this recipe to fit your family’s needs! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your awesome feedback and I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my blog 🙂
Carol says
Is the 1/2 cup parm. that is sprinkled on top from the 1 1/2 c. In the ingred.or in addition to?
Dina says
Hi Carol 🙂 The total for this orzo recipe is 1 1/2 cups. So a 1/2 cup is reserved for the top. Hope that helps clarify 🙂
Sonia Kuczynski says
this baked cheesy orzo dish was fancy enough to serve to company with Chicken Cutlets and a Salad and Wow they loved it
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Sonia, I am very happy to hear that you and your company enjoyed this cheesy baked orzo recipe! Thank you so much for your feedback! 🙂
Caroline says
Just made it I will post a picture when done