Recipe of the day: Creamy mushroom orzo pasta
If you're craving comfort food, this creamy mushroom orzo is just what you need! It's like a simple, relaxed version of risotto.
Creamy mushroom orzo pasta. Picture: Supplied
Filled with earthy mushrooms, smooth cream, and a splash of lemon, this one-pan dish also has Parmesan, baby spinach, and a touch of Worcestershire sauce, making every bite full of flavour.
This dish is perfect for a weeknight dinner or a weekend treat.
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Creamy mushroom orzo pasta
Ingredients
- 300g orzo pasta
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 300g mixed exotic mushrooms combination of shiitake, king oyster and shimeji mushrooms
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium-sized shallot finely chopped
- chilli flakes optional
- 3/4 cup cream
- generous handful of finely grated parmesan cheese you will need extra for serving
- Worcestershire sauce
- 2 handfuls of baby spinach
- small bunch of fresh basil leaves
- juice of 1 lemon as well as its zest
Method
- In a medium-sized pot bring water to aboil for the Orzo, make sure to salt it generously.
- Once boiling add the Orzo and cook until al dente.
- While the Orzo cooks, carry on with the sauce. Wash and slice up your mushrooms, then in a large frying pan add about 2 tablespoons of butter over medium/high heat.
- Add the mushrooms and sauté them for ±6 minutes, stirring them to ensure they brown evenly.
- Once browned add some salt and pepper, fry for a minute longer then take them out of the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan over low heat, add another generous spoonful of butter along with the garlic, chopped-up shallot and chilli flakes (optional).
- Sauté them for a few minutes, until soft. Then pop in the cooked mushrooms, cream, parmesan cheese and a small swig of Worcestershire sauce.
- Season with salt and ground black pepper before cooking the sauce (still over low heat) for a few minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Once the pasta is al dente, drain it (reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy eater) and pour it into the pan with the sauce. Continue cooking for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently.
- Remove the pan from the heat before adding the baby spinach, lemon juice and zest, taste to see if it needs more salt and pepper.
- If the pasta feels like it should have a bit more sauce, add a bit of the pasta water from above.
- Serve up a big bowl with extra parmesan cheese grated on top and a small handful of fresh basil. Enjoy!
*This recipe was sourced from Rediscover Dairy with permission.
PrintCreamy mushroom orzo pasta
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: cook
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
-
- 300g orzo pasta
-
- 3 tbsp salted butter
-
- 300g mixed exotic mushrooms combination of shiitake, king oyster and shimeji mushrooms
-
- 4 garlic cloves minced
-
- 1 medium-sized shallot finely chopped
-
- chilli flakes optional
-
- 3/4 cup cream
-
- generous handful of finely grated parmesan cheese you will need extra for serving
-
- worcestershire sauce
-
- 2 handfuls of baby spinach
-
- small bunch of fresh basil leaves
-
- juice of 1 lemon as well as it’s zest
Instructions
- In a medium-sized pot bring water to aboil for the Orzo, make sure to salt it generously.
- Once boiling add the Orzo and cook until al dente.
- While the Orzo cooks, carry on with the sauce. Wash and slice up your mushrooms, then in a large frying pan add about 2 tablespoons of butter over medium/high heat.
- Add the mushrooms and sauté them for ±6 minutes, stirring them to ensure they brown evenly.
- Once browned add some salt and pepper, fry for a minute longer then take them out of the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan over low heat, add another generous spoonful of butter along with the garlic, chopped-up shallot and chilli flakes (optional).
- Sauté them for a few minutes, until soft. Then pop in the cooked mushrooms, cream, parmesan cheese and a small swig of Worcestershire sauce.
- Season with salt and ground black pepper before cooking the sauce (still over low heat) for a few minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Once the pasta is al dente, drain it (reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy eater) and pour it into the pan with the sauce. Continue cooking for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently.
- Remove the pan from the heat before adding the baby spinach, lemon juice and zest, taste to see if it needs more salt and pepper.
- If the pasta feels like it should have a bit more sauce, add a bit of the pasta water from above.
- Serve up a big bowl with extra parmesan cheese grated on top and a small handful of fresh basil. Enjoy!
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