7 orzo recipes to try now (2024)

FAQs

How much does 1 cup of dry orzo make cooked? ›

Add 1 cup dried orzo (about 6 ounces) to boiling water. This yields 2 cups cooked: 4 servings of ½ cup each.

Orzo can be an ingredient in soup, including avgolemono, a Greek soup, and in Italian soups like minestrone. It can also be part of a salad, a pilaf, or giouvetsi, or baked in a casserole. It can also be boiled and lightly fried, to create a dish similar to risotto.

You can measure out orzo and should plan on about 1/4 cup (or 2 ounces) dry pasta per person. Orzo will more than double in size when cooked so don't worry, there will be enough.

Mix one egg with a pinch of salt, all purpose flour and add enough water to make a nice smooth dough. Pull small bits and roll tiny rice like grains. Keep them to dry on a plastic sheet for a day. When dry store in a zip lock bag and use as and when required.

It cooks to al dente in about 8 to 10 minutes. 1 cup raw orzo (about 6 oz) will give you about 2 cups cooked. If you want a slightly creamier result, orzo can be cooked as you would rice. Boil 1/2 cups water for each cup orzo.

Orzo to Water Ratio

Generally it is 1 cup of uncooked orzo to 2 cups of water or broth. There is typically liquid left over after cooking that needs to be drained before using.

Orzo also has a higher fiber content than rice as well. Orzo does, however, have a higher carbohydrate content per serving, but not by much. Due to the higher protein and fiber content, orzo will leave you feeling fuller for longer which is helpful for those trying to lose weight.

Is orzo more healthy than pasta? Orzo is a type of pasta. So, they share similar nutritional values. But how healthy a dish is depends more on what you mix into it and how much you take.

A. Rice and orzo contain a significant amount of nutrients like protein and carbs; orzo has a higher concentration of these two nutrients. These nutrients help replenish the body's energy and heal the tissues from within. Therefore, a higher concentration of this makes orzo the better option.

Boil the orzo about 10 minutes or until it has a firm, chewy texture, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking together. Drain orzo in a colander. For the best flavor and texture, serve the orzo immediately after cooking.

What does a serving of orzo look like? ›

A serving of orzo is about ⅓ c uncooked, as long as the pasta is the “main” component. Plan on ¼ cup per person if adding to a soup or making a pasta salad with lots of mix-ins.

Orzo is commonly made from white flour, but it can be made from whole-grain flour as well, making it a healthier pasta option.

If using orzo as an addition to salads or soup, ¼ cup uncooked orzo per person should be enough. Do you need to rinse orzo before cooking? Since orzo is practically pasta, there is no need to wash it prior to cooking.

Though orzo pasta does not have a direct city in Italy as its place of origin, the ingredients prove prominent all over the country, where locals call it risoni. In fact, the word orzo means "barley," in Italian, and while the uncooked orzo looks like the grain, the two don't have much else in common.

Orzo is a fun, versatile pasta that can be added to salads, served as a side dish, or even prepared as a fake risotto. You can serve it cold in a salad or as a hot dish, whatever you prefer. And for reference, one cup of dried orzo yields about two cups cooked.

You'll also find that the cooking times and temperatures for each vary widely. Orzo has a creamier and softer texture than rice. Much like rice, it can double in size when cooked. Rice can be cooked to be sticky, while orzo will just clump without enough moisture.

You will need roughly 1 cup (or 0.9 cups to be precise) of dried pasta to obtain 2 cups of cooked pasta. Generally, the ratio of dry pasta to cooked pasta is approximately 1:1.5 to 1:2, as the dry pasta tends to expand upon boiling/cooking, and it can easily double in weight.

Orzo. You get a little less orzo in a portion size because of its small, rice-like shape. Two ounces dry pasta is equal to 1/3 cup dry pasta. When boiled, that comes out to be 4/5 cup cooked pasta, or just shy of 1 cup.