This a great option for dinner as a side, or as a meatless wonder. Quick to make, relying on items you probably already have in your pantry, and easy to sub in or out things as you have them on hand. Use your favorite beans, use whole grain orzo if you like it, add more peppers or less ... make it your own!
One-Pot Pantry Orzo with Beans and Tomatoes
Yield: 5 - 6 servings
Ingredients
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 - 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, cut in think slices
1 T chicken bouillon, optional
1 12- to 14-oz. jar roasted red peppers, coarsely chopped
1 3.5-oz. jar capers, rinsed
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper or Aleppo pepper flakes
1 T paprika
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. sugar
16 oz. orzo
1 5-oz. can (or tube) tomato paste
2 15.5-oz. cans favorite beans like pintos, chickpeas, rinsed
1 15-oz can whole tomatoes
1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
Freshly ground pepper
Parmesan for serving, optional
Directions
Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°.
Heat ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy ovenproof pot over medium. Add sliced garlic cloves and sliced onion, and cook, stirring often, until softened and fragrant, 2–3 minutes. Add bouillon, if using, and stir to coat the garlic. Add roasted red peppers, drained, capers, rinsed, and red pepper flakes, paprika, oregano and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, just until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add orzo and tomato paste to pot and cook, stirring often, until tomato paste coats orzo and is darkened in color, about 4 minutes. Add beans, rinsed, and all of the canned tomatoes, crushing slightly. Stir in oregano, sugar, salt, and 5 cups water, stirring to scrape up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pot.
Cover pot, transfer to oven, and bake until orzo is tender and about 80% of liquid has been absorbed, 40 - 50 minutes (having some liquid on top is okay as the orzo will continue to absorb it). Remove pot from oven, remove lid, and taste orzo and season with more salt if needed and freshly ground black pepper.
To serve, divide orzo evenly among shallow bowls. Top each bowl of orzo with Parmesan if desired, then season with a little more black pepper.
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