Holiday Creamy Baked Orzo is so Simple and Delicious
Elevate your cooking game by mastering the art of Creamy Baked Orzo. Impress your guests with this elegant and flavorful dish at your next meal. Give it a try and elevate your culinary skills today!
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The holidays are soon upon us. Thankfully, it’s usually just me and the hubs for those dinners. My family is scattered and if they don’t travel to see us, we can’t travel to see them. The nature of his job. He can’t take time off from November until after January.
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While we have the same menu almost every year, I like to change things up. But I don’t want to add something super complicated. Nor do I want a recipe with lots of ingredients and complicated instructions. Enter this creamy baked orzo. It has less than 10 ingredients, but it’s packed with so much creamy, cheesy flavor.
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What Is Orzo?
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Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta. It’s often mistaken for a grain but is actually made from semolina. Its petite size and smooth texture make it perfect for soaking up delicious sauces, adding to soups, or serving as a standout side dish. Orzo is incredibly versatile, adapting easily to both hot and cold recipes. I love adding orzo with rice to homemade pilaf. It adds texture and flavor.
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Orzo vs Rice: What’s the Difference?
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While orzo looks a lot like rice, the two couldn’t be more different. Rice is a grain. It has a firm, chewy bite and a subtle flavor. Orzo is a pasta with a tender, silky texture and a mild, slightly nutty taste. It is creamier than rice when cooked. Orzo is great for dishes that need a little extra richness and body. Rice, on the other hand, is perfect for lighter, fluffier applications.
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Mornay vs Béchamel
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Béchamel is a classic white sauce made from butter, flour, and milk. It’s the base for many creamy dishes. It’s also considered one of the Mother Sauces. Meaning, it’s the base for many sauces used in French cuisine.
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Mornay sauce takes béchamel one step further. A mornay sauce starts with béchamel and then adds cheese. This creates a richer, more flavorful sauce. Think of béchamel as the canvas and mornay as the finished masterpiece ready to elevate your orzo. Many mac and cheese recipes start with a mornay sauce, too.
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Cheese Options for Baked Orzo
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Choosing the right cheese can make your baked orzo truly shine. Gruyère and Swiss cheese melt beautifully for a nutty depth. Cheddar brings sharpness and color. Mozzarella offers gooeyness. Parmesan adds a salty, savory kick. If you want a different layer of flavor, try a smoked gouda or kick things up with pepper jack cheese. Mix and match to suit your taste—just be sure to use at least one well-melting cheese for ultimate creaminess.
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Adding Flavorful Mix-Ins
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Take your creamy baked orzo to the next level with tasty mix-ins. Sun-dried tomatoes are my first choice. Their color and tanginess pairs well with the cheesy orzo. I also think of bacon as a top choice addition to this orzo recipe. If you want to make this a main dish, then add some cooked chicken, shrimp, or stir in some canned tuna or salmon.
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For vegetables, try folding in sautéed spinach for bright color. Some roasted mushrooms adds earthiness and umami flavor. Roasted red peppers also bring the color but also some sweetness to pair with salty cheese. Bring some smokiness with chipotle. Try some fresh herbs like basil, parsley, or thyme to brighten the dish. This is your chance to get creative!
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Ingredients for Creamy Baked Orzo
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The basic recipe has very few ingredients. You might not have the orzo, but even a basic home cook has all the other ingredients in their fridge or pantry.
Pantry ingredients – flour, orzo, garlic salt, garlic, white pepper
Refrigerator ingredients – butter, sharp cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, milk, heavy cream
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Cooking Pasta to Al Dente
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For the best texture, cook your orzo until it’s al dente. Al dente means “to the tooth “in Italian. That means that pasta is cooked until just tender but with a slight bite. Meaning it has a firm, chewy resistance when you bite into it. I cooked my orzo for about 9 minutes. Undercooking the pasta helps prevent mushiness from baking it in the cheese sauce.
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Making the Mornay Sauce
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Mornay sauce starts with a roux, which is butter and flour cooked together. Start by melting butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the same amount of flour and cook for one to two minutes, stirring constantly. The mixture will start to change color. When it is a light beige color, whisk in the milk. Continue cooking and whisking constantly until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in the cream. Stir in your shredded cheese and Parmesan until fully melted. Season with garlic salt and white pepper to taste.
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Baking to Perfection
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Preheat your oven to 350 F. Add the cooked orzo to the mornay sauce in the saucepan and stir until fully combined. Pour the orzo mixture into an 8 x 8 baking dish coated with butter or cooking spray.
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Top with a little extra cheddar cheese for a golden, bubbly finish. Bake uncovered at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes. The cheese on top should be light to golden brown and the sauce bubbles around the edges.
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What does this baked orzo recipe taste like?
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So creamy and cheesy! The combination of the Parmesan and the cheddar add a delicious sharpness that surrounds the creamy orzo. The Parm brings a salty nuttiness to the flavor party. Every bite is mouthful or decadent creaminess that is rich in flavor and texture.
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And since it’s such a versatile dish you can easily customize, this is a great base recipe to change up every holiday. Your guests will think it’s a completely new recipe, but you’ll know it’s just a matter of changing the cheese and mix-ins every year. With this creamy baked orzo recipe, you’ll have a comforting, crowd-pleasing dish that’s both impressive and easy to make. The added bonus is that you can serve it as a main course or a side!
Creamy Baked Orzo
Take your cooking skills to the next level with Creamy Baked Orzo. Discover how this simple yet flavorful dish can add sophistication and elegance to your meals. It will impess even the most discerning palates.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces orzo pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Sprinkling of sweet paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Cook the orzo in salted water until al dene or until almost cooked through but with a firm chewy resistance when you bit into it. Drain and set aside.
- In the same pan, heat the butter until bubbly and then whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux starts to turn a light beige color. Whisk in the milk and continue cook. Using a garlic press, add the 2 cloves of garlic, stirring constantly. Continue whisking and cooking until the mixture thickens.
- Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the heavy cream. Stir in the Parmesan and one cup of the cheddar cheese along with the seasonings.
- Fold in the cooked orzo and then pour into an 8 x 8 casserole dish butter or sprayed with cooking spray. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese. I sprinkled mine with a little paprika for color.
- Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown and the mornay is bubbling around the edges of the pan. Cool in the pan 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 458Total Fat 30gSaturated Fat 18gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 87mgSodium 1071mgCarbohydrates 25gFiber 1gSugar 4gProtein 22g
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