This creamy mushroom and pea orzo is a comforting dish made with tender orzo pasta, savory mushrooms and sweet peas tossed in a parmesan cheese sauce. It’s an easy and flavorful recipe that’s perfect as a side dish or a satisfying meatless dinner!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1/3 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 1/2 cups dried orzo pasta
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon kosher salt (start with 1/2 and season to taste at the end)
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 cups chicken broth (can swap out vegetable broth to make it vegetarian)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup frozen peas, defrosted in hot water
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet or dutch oven. Once melted, add the mushrooms and stir to coat in the butter. Cook for 5-7 minutes until nicely browned. Don’t skip this step, it adds so much flavor to the dish!
- Add the onions and stir. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Season with salt and pepper. Add the dry orzo and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally until lightly toasted.
- Pour in the chicken broth and stir. Bring to a simmer and then lower the heat and cover. Cook for 12-14 minutes until the orzo is tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed. You can stir once in between the cooking time to make sure the orzo isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Drain the peas from the hot water and add them to the pot. Pour in the cream and add the parmesan cheese. Stir to combine and warm through, taste for seasonings and adjust if needed with more salt and pepper.
Recipe Notes
Make sure to simmer over low heat so the liquid doesn’t evaporate before the orzo is tender. If this does happen, just add more chicken broth to the pot.
Store: Let the orzo cool slightly, then transfer to an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: American
