Perfect for busy weeknights, this 4-ingredient Orzo with Broccoli recipe is seasoned with parmesan cheese and Everything Bagel Seasoning and takes just 15 minutes to make!
I can't remember the last time I posted two delicious recipes in the same week! This time it was easy because I've been serving this with my new Italian chicken recipe on repeat recently. 😋
The best part is that it's so easy to make! And as a bonus, leftovers reheat well, so adding this to your weekly meal rotation is a no-brainer!
I don't know about you, but while getting out and measuring a variety of seasonings isn't 'hard,' sometimes I don't have the patience for it (there, I said it;). Thankfully, Everything Bagel Seasoning and grated parmesan cheese is all it takes to get incredible flavor!
Technically orzo with broccoli isn't a complete meal 'as is.' For this reason, I suggest serving it with Italian or rotisserie chicken for an easy and delicious dinner that your whole family will love!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 15-Minute Recipe You read it right! This recipe only takes 15 minutes to make from start to finish and it's a one-pan meal (if you add cooked chicken)!
- Simple Ingredients Orzo, fresh broccoli, parmesan cheese, and Everything Bagel Seasoning can be found in most grocery stores.
- Kid-Approved Believe it or not, I think all three of my kids love this recipe even more than I do! My two older kids have even taken leftovers (with cut up chicken sausages mixed in) to school in a thermos for lunch. So good!
- Go-To Dinner When I find a recipe for an easy meal that takes just 15 minutes to make that my whole family likes, it quickly gets added to my list of 'go-to' healthy meals. I had my doubts about this recipe when I first made it but once I got the amount of seasoning right, I knew I had a winner!
Dietitian Tip
Don't sweat the small stuff. 😍 As a dietitian who's always looking for ways to increase the amount of fiber served at meals, I almost always opt for whole-grain pasta. But I haven't seen whole wheat orzo in my local grocery store lately.
And it seems silly to provide you with a recipe that calls for ingredients I can only find online, so I went with regular white orzo and I'm not sorry, lol! Whether you use traditional white orzo or whole wheat orzo to make this orzo dish, be sure to enjoy every bite!
Recipe Variations
While I think this makes the perfect side the way it is, there are still so many ways to change it up. Here are just a few ideas!
- Main Dish Turn this into a complete one-pot meal by adding shredded chicken, left over Italian chicken, or chicken sausages that have been cooked and sliced into bite-sized pieces.
- Fresh Lemon Add fresh lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice to add a hint of lemon flavor.
- Veggie Swap If you don't have broccoli on hand, add green beans instead of broccoli to the boiling water. Or stir in a handful or two of baby spinach leaves when you stir in the reserved water and parmesan. The spinach will wilt as the water absorbs.
- Toppings I think this would taste fabulous with toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds mixed in. My husband thinks it would ruin the texture, so maybe add them as a topping and see how you like it before mixing them in. 😉
Ingredient Notes
- Orzo Can use white, whole wheat, or tri-colored orzo. Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta.
- Broccoli Nutrient rich! Broccoli is an excellent source of a variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. While frozen broccoli can be used, I recommend using fresh broccoli florets for the best texture.
- Parmesan Cheese Added for flavor.
- Everything Bagel Seasoning Some brands refer to it as Everything but the Bagel Seasoning. It's made using dehydrated garlic and onion, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and salt. The biggest difference I've noticed is the sodium content, so be sure to read the labels carefully.
How to Make Orzo with Broccoli
Here is a summary of the steps to make orzo with broccoli. For a complete list of ingredients and full instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Add orzo pasta to boiling water on high heat, then stir. Cook pasta. Add broccoli florets to the boiling water a few minutes before the pasta is done. Carefully remove one-half cup of pasta water, drain orzo and broccoli, and return the orzo and broccoli to the pot.
- Reduce to medium heat. Immediately stir the pasta water in with the cooked orzo and broccoli. Stir in the seasoning.
- Reduce to medium-low heat, stir in the parmesan cheese, and let it set for another 3-5 minutes so the pasta water can be absorbed.
- Serve and enjoy! You're going to be tempted to add a pinch of salt and black pepper, but don't. At least, not until you taste it the way it is first. ☺️
Helpful Tips
- If you forget to reserve some of the pasta water, use chicken broth, vegetable broth or vegetable stock instead.
- Regular and whole wheat orzo will have different cook times. Be sure to read the instructions on how to get the orzo you are using to al dene.
- Do not add oil to the boiling water.
- Add the broccoli florets only for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking so they don't overcook.
- If you happen to have leftover cooked broccoli, stir some in at the end instead of using up fresh broccoli florets.
Questions You May Have
Let it cool completely, then store leftovers in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to three days.
Yes, you sure can! The texture will be a little different, but it should still taste great!
This is tricky. In my opinion, rice or a different type of pasta would be the best substitutes for orzo. What makes it tricky is that while orzo looks like large pieces of rice, it's actually pasta so it cooks much faster than rice.
In other words, you'd need a modify the recipe quite a bit if you substitute orzo for something else.
📖 Recipe
Easy Orzo with Broccoli
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan 2.5 quart
Ingredients
- 1 cup orzo
- 2 ½ tablespoons Everything Bagel Seasoning sometimes called 'Everything but the Bagel' Seasoning
- 2 cups Broccoli florets
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese grated cheese
Instructions
- Bring about 4 to 6 cups of water to a boil.
- While water is heating up, rinse broccoli florets and cut them to the size you like.
- Once water is boiling, add orzo, stir and continue to boil over medium-high heat for 4 minutes.
- Add washed broccoli florets to the orzo in boiling water. Stir and continue to cook for another 3 minutes.
- Carefully remove about one-half cup of pasta water and set it aside. I use a glass measuring cup to do this.
- If the orzo is al dente (tender to touch) but not soggy, remove from heat and strain the water out.
- Return orzo and broccoli to the saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the reserved pasta water, seasoning, and parmesan cheese. Let sit on low heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until the pasta water has been absorbed.
- Remove from heat. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- If you forget to reserve some of the pasta water, use chicken broth, vegetable broth or vegetable stock instead.
- Regular and whole wheat orzo will have different cook times. Be sure to read the instructions on how to get the orzo you are using to al dene.
- Do not add oil to the boiling water.
- Add the broccoli florets only for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking so they don't overcook.
- If you happen to have leftover cooked broccoli, stir some in at the end instead of using up fresh broccoli florets.
Kristi says
I’m making this with whole wheat orzo tonight - delicious!