Creamy orzo pasta with wild mushrooms mix (from frozen/fresh chanterelle, oyster and shiitake mushrooms ) with tomato paste and cream cheese. Easy, vegetarian dinner recipe that even kids might love.
Today, my friends, I’m going to show you how I make creamy orzo pasta with mushrooms and tomatoes. This dish is super easy, no-fuss and extra delicious if you are a fan of orzo pasta.
FUN FACTS: Orzo pasta has deep historical roots in Mediterranean culinary traditions, particularly in Italian and Greek (known as “kritharaki”) cuisines. It’s also common for Turkish cuisine, where you can find it under the name ‘arpa şehriye‘.
Traditional orzo is not gluten-free, as it is typically made from semolina flour, which is derived from durum wheat and wheat contains gluten. However, there are gluten-free alternatives available on the market (made with corn, chickpea or rice flour).
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Orzo pasta – a traditional orzo pasta or a gluten-free alternative that you like
- Mushrooms mix – frozen or fresh. The mushroom mix I use is sold frozen as combination of chanterelle, oyster and shiitake mushrooms.
- Tomato paste– I like Alnatura’s tomato paste
- Cream cheese – or crème fraiche/ sour cream/whipped cream
- Butter
- Minced fresh dill
- Bullion cube and water for cooking orzo pasta in
How to cook creamy orzo pasta with mushrooms?
1st: Bring water to a boil, add orzo pasta and bullion cube and let cook completely.
2nd: Prepare the creamy mushrooms mix on the stove top. Combine pasta with mushroom sauce and serve immediately.
NOTE: Orzo dish tastes best when consumed immediately after being cooked. However, it can be preserved in air tight container in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
TIP: If using frozen mushrooms let some of the water evaporate, otherwise the sauce will become watery.
What to serve with Creamy Orzo & Mushrooms?
The best accompanying dishes to this orzo meal are appetizers, pesto or salads (in my view). Here are a few suggestions:
Creamy orzo with mushrooms and tomatoes
Equipment
- 2 cooking pots
Ingredients
- 200 g orzo pasta
- 600 ml water for orzo, or more as needed
- 300 g mushrooms mix, fresh or frozen
- 2-4 tbsp. butter
- 1 large onion, minced
- 1 tbsp. tomato paste, heaping
- 1/2 pack cream cheese, (approx. 100g/3 oz or more)
- 2 tbsp. fresh dill, minced
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube for orzo
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large soup pot with lid bring water to a boil. Then, add orzo pasta and bullion cube and let simmer until pasta is fully cooked. Drain before mixing with mushroom sauce.
- In the meantime, in a frying pan add minced onion and butter and let onion get translucent (on medium heat).
- Then, add mushrooms to pan and let cook completely. Next, add tomato paste, cream cheese and chopped dill. Let simmer for another 5-10 minutes (stir frequently as needed).
- Remove from stove top and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Finally, combine cooked and drained orzo pasta with the creamy mushroom sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links, please see full disclosure here.
Sounds good